In the Shadow of the Garden
by Chaikakhan
Summary: Autumn 2004 after Mesagog is defeated. The exrangers start out depressed but soon find new friends at a local flower shop. Yet these nature lovers are not what they first seem. TommyxKim, KiraxTrent, KiraxConner, HayleyxOC, JasonxKat
1. Hayley Hates Nature

**This story is taking a long time to develop. I have a plot in mind, but the certain chapters are longer than I expected. They develop as I write. It all fits into the overall storyline, and I do like how its developing. Some scenes are harder than others, and constructive criticism is more than welcomed. Also while this is a Tommy and Kim story, Kim doesn't figure in until much later. I promise you'll get to meet her by New Years in the story.**

She had always been surrounded by noise: the constant hum of computers and their intermittent beeps. Gulps were audible and cups hit the table at a varying rhythm, as chatter flowed and ebbed throughout the room. It used to not bother her. It used to excite her. Now she couldn't even hear her own thoughts. Hayley knew she needed time away from the cafe, so when Trent came home for fall break, she handed him the keys and told him she'd see him in a week. She set out on adventure, with no money for an expensive trip, with no open invitations to visit friends, no one offering to come along for the ride. Though it was against her nature, she would just have to live the next week on impulsiveness and inspiration. She would hopefully find relief in Reefside.

On her first day of vacation, Hayley walked aimlessly, looking for idle pleasures. She wanted an activity that would teach her nothing. Something like shopping. . .

At one local boutique, there were the most beautiful fabrics. Hayley generally avoided this place because it was so expensive, but today was a new day. She picked some well-cut items and imagined the fabric against her skin. The dressing room told a different story. The clothes in her size wouldn't even zip up, and the next size up was still frightfully tight. She knew she'd be able to find something in the store, but she wasn't willing to put on that size _12_. "Hayley," she chastised herself, "This is what you get for wearing the same baggy, stretched-out clothes every week." Had she really taken a vacation for this? She was good at information; she was terrible at being fat. Ok, she wasn't that fat, she reassured herself. She could deal with the challenge at hand. Get active, stay in shape, tone up. Hadn't those recent articles explained how exercise was an excellent antidepressant? And the gym was only a block away from her house… Hayley sighed. The gym clearly wasn't a viable option- too much noise and too many familiar faces. She needed another plan.

At 9 am the next morning, Hayley put on her only pair of sweatpants, an old sports bra, (now too tight), and an oversized t-shirt. She had been inspired by the power-walking moms on her street, the very people she now planned to avoid. Armed with her mp3 player and a determined stare, she headed straight for the park. No one on the hiking path would bother her.

Normally, the woods were not her favorite locale. Just the smell of trees made her itchy. Nature was overrated: The terrain was uneven, squirrels didn't respect people's personal space, and birdsongs were annoying. The worst, even worse than the dirt and sporadic spider webs, were the bugs. Why hadn't scientists found a way to get rid of bugs? Yes, there's the food chain, biodiversity, etc, etc . . . but there had to be a way to partition off the bugs. If it wasn't possible to quarantine them, or poison them, or flood the trail with bug spray, then there had to be a way to make sure they only came out at night. Hayley decided she'd look into it when she got back to her lab.

Luckily today the bugs were absent and the air was pretty fresh. Hayley quickly forgot about the bugs and instead revisited the recent months and the events that had caused her depression. It had definitely started when the rangers lost their powers, but at least the group had still been all together. When Trent left for college, the emptiness became more profound. Hayley found it hard to connect with her new employees at the cafe; They weren't Trent, and they reminded her how she now lacked intimacy and camaraderie in her life. She desperately needed to fill this void, but it had to be something different. Hayley started looking around her, as if the answer was right there in the woods. She noticed movement on her left and saw two black-headed cardinals fly onto the bush ahead of her, not too close to be annoying. Hayley had received her epiphany. It was time for her to be selfish. It was time for her to find a man.

Of course, the closest thing she had to a man was Tommy Oliver, and yet he was the farthest thing from a lover she could imagine. People naturally assumed they were together, and she did nothing to dissuade them. Platonic love was a hard thing to define and it was even harder to explain to someone else. Tommy and she were each other's best friend; they provided insight, wisdom and support. They were family.

She met Tommy at the beginning of graduate school, when she was madly in love with his advisor, Dr. Steven Jones. Steven was by no means her first boyfriend, but he was her first love, and she never knew emotion could cut so deep. Hayley thought of marriage, she thought of children, she thought of old age. Then one night, her fairytale shattered when she went with some girlfriends to a bar and saw him there, making out with a tall, lanky blonde, not caring who saw, not caring who was hurt. She could say nothing, only stare, and then turn around and leave when he approached her. She locked herself in her apartment that night and stared. She didn't cry, just slept and watched tv. Of course, Steven didn't call, didn't try to contact her. He had always disliked confrontation. Hayley knew it was over.

After a week, her friends broke in and dragged her out. They took her to diners, to the movies, to safe public places. They had found out that Steven had been cheating on her for months and egged his house in defense of Hayley's honor. He even had an ex-wife she didn't know about. She shouldn't feel bad about herself, they told her. She should hate him. She was so much better than him. A few weeks went by, and her friends adopted a new approach. Forget about him, he wasn't worth it. Time heals all wounds, they reminded her. There are other fish in the sea.

Hayley let them talk. Her life had lost its meaning, and nothing they could say could change that. She no longer could think or feel; she just had to do. Like a machine, she ate, slept and studied at the same time each day. It was easy to avoid Steven since she knew his schedule. Every day, the memory of him followed her like a shadow, and every day, she pushed it out of her heart. At Christmas, she shot an email home saying she had too much work. All she could do was her work.

Late one evening, she sat on a bench outside the computer center and stared into oblivion. Tommy came and sat down next to her, and it was the first time she had been so close to a man in months. Suddenly, she broke down. She didn't recognize the sound of her own wails, and she was shaking all over. Her crying would have attracted a crowd if it hadn't been so late at night, if campus hadn't been deserted for winter break. Hayley never showed emotion in public, and here she was crying harder than she had ever cried in her life. Then Tommy put his arms around her.

"I can't promise you that everything's going to suddenly be ok. I can't promise that you'll ever get over him. That you'll ever forget. But the pain will dull. And you'll move on. You may not love again, but you will create happiness for yourself. And it will be enough. Trust me. It has to be."

These words were the beginning of her recovery, and Tommy quickly moved from casual acquaintance to an integral part of her life. She was relieved that he had a girlfriend and never initiated anything romantic. They studied together every day and soon confided in each other. She learned about the rangers. Then she learned about Kim. He spoke in a matter-of-fact voice, but with pain in his eyes. It surprised Hayley that it had been so long ago, but she knew better than to feel sorry for him. He was a ranger. He couldn't stop the pain at times, but he could focus on other things and lead a satisfying and meaningful life. This would soon be true for her as well.

Recovery came more quickly than she expected. Unlike Tommy, Hayley eventually got over her first love. She couldn't avoid Steven forever, and after a few months, she could tolerate him in a group setting. Hayley never confronted him, never even addressed him directly. It would be pointless. He was not the man she fell in love with, and she accepted that that man had probably never existed. Steven was pompous and condescending, yet desperate to be liked. She had no respect for him, especially not for the way he treated her. She wondered if Tommy would have had the same experience if he had ever contacted Kimberly after the break-up. Would he have seen her flaws? There was no way to know. Tommy's heart was trapped in the past, and he probably would never get closure.

For her part, Hayley was ready to love again, though she hadn't found the right man. Twice she had fallen head over heels, but both times, the feeling was fleeting. She was the one to break their hearts, though with compassion. She had only been surprised by a break up once, and she recovered quickly. When her most recent relationship ended in "just friends," Hayley was celibate in Reefside. Tommy was not, but his liaisons were always casual. He would recount his one-night-stands and Hayley would yearn for companionship. Why couldn't she have intense sexual attraction _and_ tender friendship? She knew love was elusive, but it was possible. In the meantime, she needed a man.

With that thought, she went flying.

Hayley didn't realize she had lost her footing until she was already in the air. The hill before her was steep, and she hit it fast. She rolled over a number of times, unable to stop herself. Here comes a concussion. Here comes death. The bottom came suddenly, and she slid feet first into a patch of fresh weeds. She wasn't dead. It took several moments to catch her breath, and then she just lay there. Everything hurt. Moving hurt. What if she was permanently crippled or paralyzed? She hated nature. After some time, Hayley knew she would be ok. Nothing was broken; there was no sharp pain, no numbness. She had to get up. She saw her mp3 player lying on top of the hill, and she headed straight for it.

As Hayley climbed the hill, she examined the scratches, the small trickles of blood, the mud all over. Her one pair of sweatpants was covered in grass stains. She collected her mp3 player and shoved it into her pocket in frustration. Of course the hill had been clearly marked on the trail, and she had failed to notice it. But she hadn't exactly expected street signs in the woods. Nature was evil.

She soon found her way back to civilization, miles away from her house. She knew that she needed to clean herself up, but she was not very familiar with this part of town. She couldn't just knock on any random door and upset people with her appearance. After half an hour of searching, she found Alberts' Florists and Nursery. This would work. Those flower people were used to nature.

The store was empty except for the clerk buried in his paperwork. He looked up when the door opened and did a double-take. Then he started laughing and rolled his eyes a bit.

Hayley was offended. But she was too exhausted to say anything. This man in the pressed dress shirt and tailored pants was too over-dressed to give her sympathy.

"Where's your bathroom?" She demanded.

"On your right and around the corner."

She didn't thank him or even acknowledge him and left as fast as she could.

She took her mission in hand and got most of the mud off using way too many paper towels. She had moved onto her cuts and bruises, when the man knocked on the door.

"Do you want some first aid supplies? I have bandages, ointment, the works."

Perfect timing. She opened the door slightly and grabbed the box, barely making eye contact. She mumbled thanks as she shut the door then quickly attended to her wounds.

Assessing herself in the mirror, she figured she'd moved from the level of disaster to general mess. She would feel much better once she got out of these clothes.

Another knock.

"I got a t-shirt and a pair of overalls from one of my colleagues. They look like they might fit you."

This man was a mind-reader. This time she smiled when she opened the door and looked him directly in the face.

"You have saved me. Thank you so much." She waited for him to hand her the clothes, then nodded and carefully shut the door.

She changed quickly, anxious to express her gratitude. She carried the muddied clothes in her arms and approached the counter.

"I hate to ask you for another favor, but do you think you could give me a bag for this stuff?"

The clerk reached behind the counter and pulled out a garbage bag. He opened it to his side like a troubadour's cape. Hayley smiled at his playfulness and looked him over. He was handsome with chiseled features and nicely styled dark hair. Cute smile. Great smile. Sigh. He was probably gay. He worked in a flower shop after all.

The man never gave her the bag but instead reached one of his hands out for the clothes. "I can do you one better. Why don't you leave the clothes with us and we'll wash them for you? You've had a rough time already, and I don't see why you have to lug all that home with you today."

"I couldn't…"

"Look, it's the least I could do. I laughed at you when you came in, when anybody could tell you were hurt … and miserable. I should've asked if you were ok. I don't know … for some reason, I knew you weren't badly hurt."

"Your psychic abilities are impressive." Hayley smiled subtly.

"Yes, well, I wasn't very nice. And I like to do favors for people." He stopped for a moment, evidently re-editing. "I mean I want to do this favor for you."

She wanted to protest some more, just to be polite. But she really wanted to dump the clothes and never to think of them again. So after shifting the clothes in her arms unnecessarily, she handed them over. He smiled, put them in the bag, and dropped it behind the counter.

"So . . . what happened?"

She briefly recounted her experience, leaving out the part about missing the warning signs.

"That sucks. I know what it's like to get lost in your head and enter uncharted territory. Do you jog out here often?"

"Uh… I don't think I'll be jogging there again." She looked away, hoping he wouldn't press the subject. She pulled her nappy hair out of her face and glanced at him. He was still looking at her.

"Ok. I mean I understand how this little scrape has shaken you up a bit. But the woods are so beautiful, and you shouldn't let one mishap stop you. I hike out there all the time and if I got upset every time I fell. . . I don't know. My philosophy is 'There's nothing to fear but fear it self.'"

"Well, Mr. Roosevelt, I have a confession to make. I'm not a big fan of nature."

"Ah, I see," he started laughing again. "And yet your find yourself in a flower shop."

Hayley shrugged, embarrassed.

"Look, the best part of the outdoors is experiencing it physically." He blushed, realizing the innuendo. Ok, maybe not so gay, Hayley thought.

He regained his composure. "What I mean getting out there and feeling a part of nature, how a human is a mammal and has a physical bond. And when you jog, you are taking the first step..."

Of course, I am far from "a jogger," Hayley thought to herself. But she couldn't admit that to him, so she just nodded.

"I guess I'm coming on a little strong. But I am, what you would call, a fan of nature. When people are down or just coming back from a fall, then it's my duty to get them back on their feet." He raised his eyebrows at his pun, and Hayley could help but smile at the corniness. Ok, definitely not gay. Was he flirting with her?

"Ok, you've convinced me. I will try it one more time. Besides I have to come back to get my clothes…" She would never wear those clothes again.

"Good. And just to be on the safe side, you should have someone run with you. Maybe a friend, even a boyfriend…or a girlfriend if you swing that way…"

She smiled at the irony of his last comment and at the immense sexual attraction she felt. She silently sighed.She was probably just another conquest to him.

"No, no _boyfriend_. But maybe a female friend. Someone who would go at my pace…" She unintentionally winced. Her shoulders, knees, hips- her entire body was killing her, but she didn't want to show how much pain she was in.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I should've offered you some ice. Um, I think I know where I can find some." He hesitated quizzically and then was about to hop in back when she stopped him.

"No really it's not necessary. To tell you the truth, I wouldn't know where to start with the ice. It hurts all- er," she stopped herself. "Nothing really hurts that bad. I'm just sore. I'll take a warm bath when I get home."

He nodded. The relief showed on his face. He really had no idea where to find ice. Hayley giggled to herself and wanted to stay forever, but then her body reminded herself once more that she had to get home.

"Actually, can I ask you one last favor? Could I use your telephone?"

Seconds later, the phone was on the counter, and she had Tommy on the line. Thankfully, he had no afternoon classes and would be there in ten minutes. It was funny how distances so long on foot were so short by car.

She thanked the clerk, and there was an awkward silence.

"Um," Hayley hesitated, "Could you give me a brief tour of the shop?"

He smiled and showed her around. Of course, Hayley knew the scientific names of all the plants, but she also knew enough to play dumb. And this man knew his stock. This man…this man…

"Oh, it's so rude of me. I don't even know your name. I'm Hayley by the way."

"Raul."

"Spanish, huh? I wouldn't have guessed."

He chuckled. "Yeah, I'm pretty white. My mom's from Spain. I speak it with a Spanish accent, so all the Latinos look at me suspiciously. And that was probably unnecessary information . . ."

Hayley laughed.

"So Hayley, I know you hate nature, but I think you need some flowers to brighten up your day. Luckily, you've come to the right place." He wrinkled his brow and stroked his chin as if he were thinking hard.

"No, I couldn't . . ."

"Yeah, like I'm going to take no for an answer. I mean we have all these flowers and not too many customers at this time of day. A dozen daffodils for you . . ." He raised his eyebrows playfully. Hayley wasn't sure if he was paying her special attention, or if he was just bored. Then again, she didn't care- it was just what she needed. Raul wrapped the bouquet over her protests and shoved it into her hands.

"Fine. But I insist on paying for them."

Raul raised an eyebrow. "With the money you don't have?"

He had her there. She was just about to return the flowers to him, when- as if on cue- Tommy honked the horn.

"Fine. But I will pay you the next time I come."

"That's a promise you better keep." Raul winked.

Hayley left and slipped into Tommy's car.

"Whoa, you look awful."

Hayley didn't doubt it. And for the first time all day, she didn't care.


	2. Kira Isn't Going Anywhere

Maybe Kira wasn't college material. She stared at her calculus assignment. Her difficulty was not in doing derivatives. It was not in algebraic manipulation. It was in 7 times 4. Kira could not believe it herself, that she didn't know her seven's tables. There was Conner zipping through his work, about to get out of class early, and Kira learning the hard way that she was totally dependent on her calculator. Wait a minute… 7 times 4 was the same as 4 times 7. Twenty-eight. Yes!

"Yes!" Kira couldn't believe she actually yelled out loud. Everyone was staring at her, including Mr. Wilkes.

"Kira, you're done already?" Connor asked, impressed.

Kira blushed. "Uh, no. Just question number 2. Uh, can I borrow your calculator? I left mine at home." She looked up at him sheepishly.

Connor laughed, "Well, I guess it's true what they say about girls and math." She moved to punch him, but he deflected her. Then he picked up his calculator and started tapping manically, as if doing endless calculations, sticking his tongue out at her. She pretended she was offended and tried to ignore him. She was thankful that the next problem was not a calculator one. Just expanding equations and canceling out terms. Conner could eat his calculator… what was 103 divided 6…? Kira sighed and looked over at Conner. He passed her his calculator and smiled.

"Hey I'll see you at Hayley's. You can give me the calculator back then." He tapped the table with his forefinger. "Don't break it…math whiz… Hah." He jumped away before she could hit him. Kira wanted to run after him, not to throw the calculator at him as he justly deserved, but just to escape. One look from Mr. Wilkes told her she'd better finish before she left. At least the calculator would save her from having to think too hard.

Kira finished a little early and was already at her locker when the final bell rang. That bell was usually a beacon of hope, but today it rang in her ears all the way to Hayley's. It took forever to get there. The hallways were crowded, the lights were not in her favor, her bag seemed particularly heavy. Maybe it was the calculator that was weighing her down, she thought as she finally got the Cyberspace doors to budge. Or maybe she was under some kind of heaviness spell . . .

Trent smiled at her when she came in and then quickly attended to the mob of customers. She was relieved. She didn't want to see Trent until she was in a better mood. She spotted Conner and Ethan on the large couch with their laptops and went to join them.

"Here so soon? Gee, it's only like an hour since I last saw you. Did you really get through _all_ those problems already . . .?"

Kira threw him a glare, dropped her bag on the ground and dropped herself next to Ethan. In the process, she jostled Ethan's laptop and prayed that he wouldn't notice. Then she heard the all-too-familiar beeps of him losing his life.

"Hey! I'm not the one bagging on you. Now I have to start this level all over again."

"Sorry." Kira barely looked at him, this exchange was so routine. She watched Trent and the two new girls behind the counter. Trent was taking care of two customers for every one they helped. It was pretty impressive.

Conner was finished with his email and was clearly bored. He looked at his hefty book bag and then at the computer games and then at the waitstaff at the counter. None of these things seemed even slightly interesting.

"Well, Kira I was very happy to come to your aid today when you needed me. Now, where, pray tell, is my precious calculator?"

Kira tilted her head and put on her best dumb-blond look, "What's a calculator?"

"See it's this plastic thing with buttons on it…" Kira wasn't listening. The line at the counter had thinned down to a single customer. Kira had to seize this opportunity, even if she wasn't in the best of spirits. As she got up, she picked up her bag and threw it at Conner. He hadn't expected it but caught it easily thanks to his quick reflexes.

"I think the thing of which you speak is in there." Kira turned away. "Of course, if you mess with any of my stuff, they'll never find your body."

Conner watched her walk away and then turned to the bag with a mischievous grin.

As Kira approached the counter, she caught Trent's eye and nodded. He tapped the shorter of the two girls on the shoulder and put up his hand signaling five minutes. Her faced turned sour. "But when is it going to be my break?" Kira heard her whine. Trent just shrugged and beckoned to Kira to meet him out back.

"Hey, there. Missed you yesterday." Trent reached out to hug Kira as she was stepping out of the doorway, catching her off guard. She tripped and fell into him while his arms were still extended. Trent laughed and folded his arms around her back and gave her a squeeze. The warm hug helped soften her mood, but she still felt heavy at the bottom of her stomach. She looked up at his face and couldn't read it. Her instincts were all off today.

"How is it playing manager during your week off?" She asked.

Trent thought about it. "Well, it's been...illuminating…"

"Illuminating?" Kira stepped out of their embrace and leaned against the wall.

"Well, see Hayley's left me in charge lots of times, but it's always been a day here, a day there. On quiet days, y'know? So I was really worried about the after-school traffic in the fall and keeping track of the stock, the cash. Hayley's always nagging me about paying attention to the business-side of things." Trent shook his head.

Kira related completely. She couldn't even handle school without feeling like an idiot.

"But the business side has been really smooth. I mean I know it's just been two days, but I think I've got a handle on it. So that's been really great. What's really not great are my new coworkers."

"Yeah they seem really incompetent. And annoying."

"I know. I can't tell who is worse. I mean Kirsty is complete space cadet. Just doesn't get the whole concept of serving people. When she gets it right, it's like an accident. Or a miracle. And then there's Alice. She doesn't make many mistakes, but when she does, it seems like it's on purpose. It's like she likes messing with people…"

"Yeah the guys and I only order from Hayley. Sometimes we just get our drinks ourselves…Wait- you can tell them apart?" Kira knelt down and started playing with the gravel at her feet. Trent dropped down beside her.

"Alice and Kirsty? Yeah, I mean one's blond and one's a brunette. One's short and one's tall. Kira, you've been here almost every day for the last two months. I've only just met them…"

Kira met his questioning gaze and laughed. "I just see this mass of hairspray and lip gloss. Blond? Brown? What's the difference?"

"I guess the only colors that mean anything to you are red, yellow, blue, black, white…"

"White? Is that technically even a color?" She threw a pebble at him and grinned sheepishly.

Trent caught the pebble. "Well, it depends."

"Depends on what? If there are still power rangers anymore?" Kira was surprised by the bitterness in her voice

Trent answered quietly, "No. It depends what medium you're working in. Kira, um, did something happen at practice yesterday?"

"No. Nothing happened. It was the same. Normal, boring. Nothing ever happens around here. I go to school, feel bored or stupid. Come here. Conner and Ethan are yapping on as if nothing was different. The stupid waitresses wear too much perfume. Trent-" Kira stood up.

"Yeah? What's wrong with me?" He said with mock-indignation.

"No. Not like that. Take me with you. Take me with you when you go back to New York."

Trent grabbed her arms, pulled himself up and laughed. "Sure."

"No," Kira punched him in the chest. "I'm serious."

"So am I. I have a bag that would fit you perfectly."

"See, even my own boyfriend doesn't take me seriously."

"Kira. Wasn't it you last week who wasn't sure if we were technically boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"Well, you cleared that up for me and now…"

"And now the logical step would be for you to live with me in an entirely new city."

"Yes… I could get my GED and go to Parsons too. I could go to your classes with you." She didn't mean a word she was saying, but she wanted to mean it all.

"Uh-huh. And learn what?"

"How to draw and paint and make instillation thingies. And about colors- like what mediums have white and what mediums don't have white…" Kira smiled at her grasp of art theory.

"Kira, the plural of medium is media."

"I hate you."

Trent kissed her upper lip. And then her bottom. No tongue. Just enough to shut her up and let her know he cared. The kissing might have progressed further if the most grating voice in the world hadn't spoiled the mood.

"Trent! It's been like an hour! I'm going on my break!"

Trent rolled his eyes and Kira pushed him the direction of the door. "We'll continue this discussion later tonight," she winked.

When Kira got back to the couch, Conner and Ethan had completely spread out and were actually doing homework. Conner looked up at her and laughed.

"How was the make-out sess-"

"Don't answer that." Ethan interrupted, not looking up from his history book.

"Do you mind making some room for me? I know you do, but you don't have a choice." Kira pushed her way between the two boys, forcing them to sit up.

"Conner do you still have that thing? I think you called it a 'calculator.' I wanted to write you a text message on it."

Conner knew she was joking, but he wanted to see what the gag was. He let her type in an equation.

"7734 0+ 09. That's fascinating Kira. You know that you don't put spaces in the middle of a number, don't you?"

Ethan immediately started laughing, "That's so seventh grade, Kira."

Kira giggled, "I know, and it's still above Conner's head."

"What's so funny? It's some sort of code?"

"Dude, turn it upside down."

"Now it's not even numbers."

Kira and Ethan laughed even harder.

"What? Oh, I get it. A text message. Go to he- Hey!"

Conner got red and hit Kira with the calculator. She just grinned at him and opened her bag. Conner couldn't help but smile. Not at the juvenile gag, but because it was good to see Kira happy. Of course, he knew the calm would momentarily be disturbed.

Kira flipped open her binder to find the first page upside down. Before she righted it, she thumbed through several pages. The second page was right-side up, but the third page was upside down. The fourth one was fine, the fifth upside down. It went on like this for the rest of the notebook. She looked over the boys, one who was totally engrossed in what he was doing and one who was unsuccessfully hiding a smirk.

"Conner!"


	3. Time for Male Bonding

Conner faced his usual dilemma after soccer practice. Shower here and hang out at Hayley's or shower at home, have dinner, and then go to Hayley's. If you had told him a year ago, that Hayley's would be his refuge from the stress of high-school life, he would've said, "What's an internet cafe?" Even when he was a ranger, he would only go if he was sure the others would be there too. However, this year he ventured out on his own. He now felt comfortable with the computer geeks, an alien to their world, but accepted by them nevertheless. Of course, it also helped that Kirsty was so cute and flirted with him excessively. He could tell that she didn't take the flirting seriously, and that just made it all the more fun.

Not every day was a flirting day. When Kira and Ethan were there, he kept to his crew. He enjoyed their company more than anyone else's and wanted to take advantage of their limited time together before they went their separate ways next year. Conner also knew that if he spent too much time with Kirsty or his other casual acquaintances, he would tire of them. Keeping his worlds separate kept him balanced.

Today was a Wednesday, when Kira had rehearsal and when Ethan taught computer literacy to underprivileged children or illiterate adults or whoever it was. Conner usually looked forward to his alternative social scene on Wednesdays, but today was different. Trent was back, and Conner had missed him. Over the summer, they had bonded, playing soccer together, going to concerts, hanging out all the time. Trent had even taught Conner some drawing techniques, which Conner used to get through boring classes and assemblies. He was eternally grateful for his new vice and wanted to show Trent his doodles and sketches. Of course, Kira had taken up most of Trent's time since he'd been back, so Conner hoped to sneak in some male-bonding while she was otherwise busy. Today was to be a locker-room shower day.

After booking it to Hayley's, Conner was greeted by no one. No Trent, no flirty Kirsty, no grimacing Alice. Behind the counter was only empty space, so instead of taking his usual seat at the bar, Conner moved some stools out of the way to make room and started dribbling the ball on his knees.

"Hey!" Alice's well-timed bark startled him and caused him to lose concentration. Luckily he had enough motor control to keep the ball from flying across the cafe and to direct it to the ground. The ball still got away from him and rolled under the stools.

"Look, King Jock. Leave the soccer at the door." Alice was secretly impressed with his ball-handling skills, but she would never outright admit it. She'd rather subtly compliment him as she antagonized him. That was the most fun. Besides, in this case it was her job. Hayley would probably take the ball away, although she'd do it with a lighter touch.

Conner growled as he retrieved the ball with his left foot. He wasn't sorry. This was Hayley's and Hayley understood that students needed their diversions. Ok, so maybe Hayley wouldn't have been so pleased. But he was not a novice player; he knew his limits. He faced Alice defiantly, with the ball between his feet. He continued to tap it, but very quietly so she wouldn't notice. "What's your problem?" he challenged.

"Mrs. Brady always says not to play ball in the house," she said sternly as if it was a perfectly normal thing to say. Conner got the reference, but couldn't tell if she was joking with him or laughing at him.

"Where's Trent?" He asked bluntly, hoping that his friend would appear soon.

"Kirsty and him are unloading a shipment." She laughed to herself, but Conner had no idea why. There were times he thought she was crazy, but she was too self-composed to be really insane. She just was a calculating bitch for no reason.

"It's funny, but I don't see Kirsty doing that. It doesn't seem to be her thing." Conner avoided eye contact. He had no idea how Alice felt about Kirsty and didn't want to incur more wrath.

"The regular guy is sick, and Kirsty lost the coin toss." Alice shrugged, continuing to smile at the mental image of Kirsty lifting heavy boxes. Anyone would think it was funny, but she had a special soft spot for torturing the girl. She had actually cheated on the coin toss.

Conner was overwhelmed with the awkwardness of being alone with Alice. Everyone at the cafe seemed to be glued to a computer screen or a book and didn't feel like playing games. There was no obvious escape. He decided to stare at the menu, and maybe she would just ignore him. Unfortunately, Alice was in an impatient mood. Conner's very presence got under her skin.

"So what do you want? I haven't got all day. Can't you see we're busy in here?" She tapped her long, tacky nails on the counter and glared at her sole customer. The cafe was practically empty, but Conner knew she wouldn't give up until he ordered or went away.

"Strawberry smoothie, please." Conner sighed. "And please don't put anything 'extra' in it this time. I'll just keep bugging you until you get the order right."

"Deal. You're getting a large, though. And you're paying for it." She turned and took her time getting the fruit. Conner put his head on the counter. It was going to be a long afternoon.

A familiar voice roused him from his self-pity. "Conner, you sure are popular. Even Alice is flirting with you." Tommy Oliver patted his back, then pulled up a stool on the right and leaned on the bar.

Conner looked at him with surprise, "Dr. O, what are you doing here? I haven't seen you here for ages."

"Like last Saturday..." Tommy gave him a skeptical look.

"Well, I mean on school days. Don't you have karate club?"

Tommy had started the club this year in order to keep himself occupied, now that the rangers were over. He had been surprised at how challenging it was. It turned out teaching younger kids was easier; they were used to following directions and didn't have so much body weight. The high school students were too strong-willed and wanted to spar right off the bat. Also they weren't used to the physical discipline, and Tommy was afraid they would get hurt. Fortunately Tommy had experience both teaching martial arts and teaching high school students, so he was getting the hang of it and was hopeful for the future. Having an assistant coach didn't hurt either.

"My assistant is teaching today. I have to get Hayley's stuff for her. I'm picking her up across town at some flower shop in half an hour. The one near the park. I know you want to come along for the ride…" Tommy elbowed Conner, obviously joking and obviously hopeful that Conner would be bored enough to take him up on his offer.

"Um, no." Conner answered and then became confused. "Wait. Hayley's in town? I thought this was like her big vacation."

"Yeah, I don't get it either. But I have the honor of being her chauffeur."

"Doesn't she have a car?"

"Yeah, but she's jogging to the shop."

"Jogging…right." Conner nodded, not knowing what to say. He had never heard Hayley mention jogging before, or any exercise for that matter, and he couldn't understand why someone would spend their vacation in Reefside, jogging to some flower shop.

Tommy clicked his tongue. "Exactly." He looked over at Alice blending Conner's drink. She was leaning into the blender, deep in thought, looking content. Tommy rarely ever saw her calm, and it made him happy. Then all of a sudden, she looked up and met his gaze.

"Hi, Dr. O," she smiled. "What can I get for you?"

"Just a medium cappuccino to go. You can put in on my tab." Tommy winked at her.

She flashed him a smile as she lifted the lid. "You know, Hayley's going to make you pay that tab one of these days. I think it's up to four thousand dollars…"

"Four thousand? That's it?" Tommy liked pretending that he took advantage of Hayley, even though he did keep track of his drinks and pay her at the end of each month. Hayley was constantly doing favors for him and money was money. "Speaking of Hayley, do you have her purse around here for me to pick up?"

Alice looked around, but everything was a blur. It was like she didn't have her contacts in, which she did. "I don't think so. I mean she didn't tell me anything. Then again, Trent's the only one she really talks to. He's busy now, but he'll back in a few minutes." Alice poured Conner's drink and added an extra strawberry. She slid the drink over to him and smiled.

"I'll put this on Dr. O's 'tab' as well," she said with air quotes. Then she went to take care of Tommy's order.

Conner was flabbergasted, literally with his mouth hanging open. "What was that?" he asked.

Tommy returned with a puzzled look of his own. He had no idea what Conner was reacting to. "A tab. You don't know what a tab is?"

"No. Her. I mean before you said she was flirting with me. But now look. Before she was just being her usual bitchy self…."

"Hey, watch your language."

"Dude, she was being nice to you!"

"Conner, shut up and drink your smoothie. Alice is a family friend. I knew her before she moved here." Tommy was firm. He knew that Alice was moody and difficult to understand, but now was not the time to go into it.

Conner was very familiar with Tommy's "shut up" glare and turned to his drink. After a few sips, he decided to take a different approach. "You have friends?"

"Conner..." Tommy groaned. "I know you're going to keep bugging me, so let me give you the short version. I went to high school with her uncle, Kirsty's father. I'm the one who got them their jobs here."

After hearing these words, Conner had a choice. He could spit his smoothie all over the counter or swallow it. He opted for the latter. "You mean they're relat- Ow, ow brain freeze."

Tommy watched Conner jump up, completely amused. "Yes, they're related. They're first cousins."

"Dude, I can't believe they're related!" Conner said through clenched teeth.

"I have the feeling that they don't advertise it. Out of respect for them, don't tell people. And," he added, putting his hand on Conner's back, "don't call me dude."

Conner smiled and swallowed back the rest of his pain. He would never stop calling Tommy dude. "Ok, Dr. O. I can keep a secret. I'll do it to save Kirsty the embarrasment."

"For Kirsty. Right. Now be quiet. Alice is coming over." The two men looked at her with smiling yet insincere faces, feigning innocence. Alice would have been suspicious if she wasn't living inside her head at that moment. She mustered a meek smile as she handed Tommy his drink.

"Here's your drink, Dr. O. Now I'll go check on Tr- " She stopped mid-sentence. There was shouting in the back room and a lot of stomping around. They all knew something had gone wrong, and although Alice was not shy of confrontation, she knew better than to go back there. The three spent the next few minutes trying to make out the words of the argument, but all they heard was the anger in Trent's voice and the whine in Kirsty's. Finally Trent came running in and glared at Alice. He took a deep breath.

"Alice. I don't know how you talked me into that coin toss, but I will never let you have your way again. Kirsty dropped a box and half the glassware is broken." His voice was so even that it was scarier than yelling. Even Alice looked a little flustered.

"On Friday, you are doing the shipment." Alice opened her mouth to speak, but Trent just raised his hand. "I know Joe will be back by Friday. But you are the one who's going to help him."

Alice was angry at Trent's use of his prerogative but knew enough not to contradict him. She would find other ways to get her revenge.

"Fine," she said quietly.

"And don't complain to me if you break a nail. I've had enough of that today."

"Why would I complain?" Alice shrugged. "They're fake anyway." She pulled one off and grinned at Trent. Conner was grossed out, but Trent just shook his head.

"I give up. I don't know how Hayley puts up with either of you."

Alice looked him in the eye and told him the truth, not the entire truth, but enough of the truth to upset him. "She's a good manager, that's how." She headed to the back exit, "I'm going on break."

"Do that." Trent nodded and turned to two of his favorite customers. He picked up a dish towel and threw it on the counter.

Tommy looked at Trent, the boy's maturity and immaturity so clear to him. "Trent, you're going to have to do more than throw that towel to release your anger."

Conner, who wanted to laugh but knew it would be wrong, suddenly got very excited. "I know, Trent. Let's play a little soccer. That's the reason I'm here, and it will help you blow off some steam."

"Sorry Conner. I can't. With this box breaking, I have to re-order glasses and mark the loss in the books. Plus there's still the inventory…" His voice trailed off.

"Can't one of them do that?"

Trent just stared at him. As usual, Conner didn't realize how stupid that question was until it was already out of his mumbled sorry and looked down at the counter. This day was just turning out horribly.

"Aw man, I can't have my two best students in such lousy spirits. Look. Conner, you should come with me now. We'll go to the park and kick the ball around after the flower shop. Trent can meet us once he gets off work. Then I'll drive you both home."

Conner nodded, "I'll do it if Trent agrees." He hadn't spent time with Tommy in a while either and there was no reason not to include him.

Trent looked hesitant, so Tommy set out to convince him. "Trent, for your part, don't worry about the glasses. I'm seeing Hayley later today and I'll explain everything to her. She'll understand."

Trent relaxed a little.

"You're right. Hayley's cool. Anyway, I'll take care of the order tomorrow."

He breathed some more.

"You're right. I need a release. I haven't played soccer in such a long time."

Conner noticed the far-away look in Trent's eyes. "We need some male-bonding time."

"You're right. We need some male-bonding time," Trent agreed.

"You're right," Tommy mocked him. "And I need Hayley's purse. Please. Do you know where it is?"

"Oh yeah. It's right here. She left it here this morning for you."

Tommy stuffed the purse under his arm, "Yup, I love being her gopher. Ok, we'll see you later Trent. Ready, Conner?"

"Just one more thing. Trent, I know you're busy, but you're the only one left. Can I have the rest of this smoothie to go? Pl-lease." Conner flashed his best puppy dog eyes so that even Trent couldn't resent him. The interim manager did as he was requested, and the others went on their way.


	4. Another Trip to the Florist's

As Tommy drove to the flower shop, Conner decided to pump him for more information about Kirsty and Alice. He was not interested in it for gossip's sake; no one else would care as much as Conner did. Here was this petite natural blond who wore the cutest pink sweaters that showed off her chest appropriately. She smelled good, she twisted her hair when she talked- she would be the perfect date to a school dance. Then there was her punk coworker with the ridiculous eyeliner and black clothing who constantly interrupted Kirsty, mocked her and manipulated her into doing the things that nobody wanted to do. Now not only did it turn out they were cousins, but Dr. O had hinted there was some family secret involved. These two were more than a random expression of genes. Conner was sure their story would give him insight into the human condition.

"So, Alice and Kirsty are cousins. What's the story there, Dr. O?"

Tommy glanced at him and returned his view to the road. He knew he would have to have this conversation eventually, and at least now, in the car, they would be away from prying ears.

"Ok. I'll tell you what I can. Alice moved here over the summer from Atlanta to live with Kirsty's family. As I said her uncle is a friend of mine from high school. He's now a police sergeant here in Reefside, and we ran into each other at the end of school last year. He invited me over to dinner and I met his family. That's happened a few times now, so both girls are pretty comfortable with me. Because I'm a teacher, I had some contacts that were useful for Alice, and I was happy to help. Also money's tight in the family. Both girls needed spending cash, Hayley needed new staff so I put them in touch with each other."

Conner had wanted to interrupt Tommy several times, but he was afraid his teacher would just clam up and not tell him anything more. He chose his questions carefully.

"So they live together? Are they secretly friends?"

"I think we've established both those things. I do know that neither Kirsty nor Alice is happy having a new sister. But they have yet to kill each other."

Conner wasn't sure which one would kill the other first. Sure Kirsty would be more justified in killing Alice, but Alice would probably beat her to the punch, so to speak.

"You know it's funny. You mentioned that Kirsty's family has lived here for a while, but I've never seen either of them until this year."

"They go to St. Ann's."

Conner suddenly realized he only knew them from Hayley's. "Oh, that's why I don't see them around school."

Dr. O shook his head at how dense Conner could be.

"Well we're here. I don't need to tell you not to repeat what I've told you. Not even to Ethan and Kira, unless they ask you specifically about it. Then you can tell them, but let me know what you end up telling them, if anything. Ok?"

"Ok. One more thing, Dr. O. Are you sure you don't know more about Alice's past? Like why she moved here. And why is she- why does she act the way she does?"

"Conner, drop it," was all Tommy said as he went inside.

Inside the shop, Tommy and Conner were surprised not to find Hayley. However, neither was disappointed. Behind the counter was the back of a thin, shapely woman in a short dress. Even if her face proved unattractive, their first impression of her was a positive one. She was getting some paper to wrap up a bouquet, but the roll was a little high for her. Conner was happy to watch her jump up to reach it, but Tommy took the initiative.

"Do you need some help with that?" He said, hoping his voice wasn't completely unexpected.

She knew they were there, but didn't turn around. "No. I almost got it. I'm actually quite flexible and enjoy the challenge." She tucked her brown hair behind her ear, carefully stretched her arm from her waist and successfully ripped off a sheet. Conner blushed, and Tommy was careful not to catch his eye, lest he do the same.

The woman's face was no less appealing. Large brown eyes, a wide smile and tan skin, in her early to mid-twenties- the type who still got carded at bars, but carried herself like an adult. Her smile was professional, but sincere.

"I'll be with you in one moment. I just have to attend to Ms. Abernathy's flowers. Feel free to look around the shop or ask me questions."

Tommy coughed, "Actually we're here to meet a friend, Hayley. She's tall, around 5 foot 7. Red hair. Has she stopped in by any chance?"

The woman laughed, "Oh yes, Hayley. You must be Tommy. And you are?"

"Conner. Conner McKnight." Conner was usually cool and collected around women, but for some reason he really wanted to impress this one. He knew he was making a fool of himself and hoped it didn't show on his face. If the woman thought he was being ridiculous, she didn't let on.

"Nice to meet you, Conner. I'm Lisa. Well, it seems like Hayley has a lot of friends. She's only been here an hour, but it already feels like she works here." The woman acted like it was normal for customers to suddenly become part of the staff.

Tommy didn't expect the woman to be so familiar with Hayley. "I don't understand. I thought she was here to pick up her clothes."

"Clothes?" Conner was now really confused.

Lisa explained the circumstances behind Hayley's previous visit Alberts'. She had been the one to wash Hayley's clothes, since Raul had been busy ordering for the Christmas season. Then of course, Raul had put the clothes in some random place and forgot to tell anyone where they were. Hayley had specifically arranged to get the clothes this afternoon, and Raul was out getting fertilizer. This hardly surprised Lisa. Time management wasn't Raul's strong suit. Now he was over an hour late and had three people waiting on him.

"So where's Hayley then? She didn't leave, did she?" Tommy asked. He wouldn't be that annoyed. He was already close to the park, and he wasn't in a rush. But he didn't want to Conner to get antsy, especially since he practically dragged the boy along. Of course, Conner seemed to be content eyeing this woman, despite her being too old for him. That too made Tommy uncomfortable.

"She's in the greenhouse talking to Shelby. That's our resident horticulturist. She does her own research, and I think that's what they're discussing. Though not with Mrs. Abernathy around."

This woman had a habit of providing unnecessary information that had no importance to either Tommy or Conner. Tommy found her friendliness a bit disconcerting, but also intriguing. He decided to send Conner to fetch Hayley.

"So, Lisa how long have you been working in the ...flower industry?" Tommy was surprised at how nervous he was, but he really had nothing else to do except make small talk.

"Flower industry?" Lisa pursed her lips to keep from laughing at him.

"Yes, as you see I am deeply knowledgeable on this subject," Tommy made fun of himself in order to dispel some of the awkwardness.

This time Lisa laughed, Tommy having given her the opening. "Actually, it was a complete fluke. I got started on the business end of things. Accounting. Then Shelby needed an assistant, so I volunteered. I've learned a lot about botany and flowers since I've been here, but I'm only in the shop about 20 hours a week."

"I understand completely. One thing leads to something else entirely different in life. My story is similar." Tommy wasn't sure if he wanted to go into further detail, so he was grateful when Conner suddenly returned. Conner was alone, however.

"It's weird back there. There's this old lady who's just walking around looking at the plants and singing to herself. Hayley's talking to the woman with the glasses about plant genetics, which of course I find the most fascinating subject," Conner said sarcastically.

"Doesn't she know we're waiting for her?" It wasn't like Hayley to keep people waiting. Something unusual was going on.

"Yeah, but they have her iPod or something. Dude, she's been using a walkman from like 1990. I mean, I feel her pain."

"Ok. We'll find some way to occupy ourselves while we wait." Then Tommy added, "And what else am I going to say, Conner?"

"Don't call you 'dude.'"

Lisa laughed. She was enjoying the company of these two unlikely visitors, obviously jocks and obviously at a loss of what to do in a flower shop. She had yet to determine what their relationship was, but she was pretty sure they weren't father and son. Tommy was much too young. In fact, he seemed familiar, as if he were a childhood friend.

"Tommy, this might seem like an odd question, but do I know you from somewhere? Did we go to summer camp together or something? Camp Andrew?"

Conner looked straight at Tommy, hoping that some connection could be made. If Tommy ended up going out with this woman, Conner could live vicariously through him.

From first sight, Tommy knew who this woman reminded him of, but he also knew that he hadn't met her before. He contemplated using the "old friend" approach to get her to go to dinner with him then decided against it. Maybe she was too similar to Kim.

"No. I didn't go to camp. Did you grow up in California?" Tommy hoped that he wouldn't have to talk too much about the past. He was afraid that this woman would rehash her life story, trying to figure out where she knew him from, and he would have to rehash his. Again he was rescued from personal conversation by a third party. Raul suddenly appeared in the doorway.

The dark-haired man was striking, much younger and much taller than Tommy expected. He looked ashamed and slightly disheveled. It was clear that he had been in a rush to get back. Lisa smiled at his appearance; he was usually very conscientious about how he looked. She could tell that he hadn't forgotten about the meeting but that didn't make his lateness any more acceptable. He deserved a little abuse.

"It's about time you showed up. You have a guest, you know," she said harshly.

"I'm so sorry Lisa. There was an accident and I was in traffic for I don't know how long and my cell phone was buried in the back. I feel terrible. I can't believe I left her waiting all this time. Is she still here?" He was apologetic. Emotionally, his obligation to Hayley clearly trumped his obligation to the shop.

"Yes, she's still here. I think Shelby has stolen her away from you."

"I'm not concerned," he chuckled. "Oh, can you give her a heads up? I need a few more minutes. I need to take care of the cart before I see her."

"Don't worry about it. I'll wheel it over. You just take care of the business at hand."

Raul saluted her and ran out of the room. Tommy suddenly had a sneaking suspicion that there was more between him and Hayley than a bunch of dirty clothes. He felt like he should have realized this earlier, but Hayley was hardly forthcoming. He'd have to drag the backstory out of her later.

Lisa sized up the two men. "Who wants to help me move some fertilizer? It'll be the highlight of your day…"

"I'll do it," Conner volunteered. He felt much more comfortable with her now. Tommy had dominated the conversation so far, and now it was now Conner's turn. Even if he wasn't going to get anywhere with Lisa, he could at least have some fun trying. Reluctantly, Tommy stayed behind and manned the store. Someone had to do it. He hoped that a real employee would come soon and rescue him before any customers showed up. Luckily, his prayers were quickly answered.

"Oh, Tommy," Hayley came in with a large paper bag in her hand, her special friend following close behind. "I'm so sorry for this fiasco. It's just that Raul got stuck in traffic, and he was the only one who knew where my things were."

"I heard," Tommy's tone had just the right amount of annoyance for the desired effect. Tommy knew that by being short with her, he could force her to fess up about Raul later. Nothing was as effective as emotional blackmail. "Nice to meet you, Raul."

"You too. Hayley told me a little about you on the phone. You're a high school teacher, right?"

"That's right. A high school teacher at the beckon call of his best friend," Tommy's tone was cutting but his face was laughing. He just wanted to give Hayley a hard time, and both she and Raul knew it.

"You know that if it had just been the clothes, I would have come back another time. But I was worried that my mp3 player had been run through the wash. Luckily, Raul rescued it from an untimely death." She patted her friend's arm in appreciation.

"That showed foresight." Although he didn't show it, Tommy was impressed by how friendly these two were after only just meeting. He hadn't had such instant chemistry since his first love, and he was a little jealous.

"Truth be told, I wanted to see what kind of music she listened to," Raul confessed.

"Music that no one else listens to," Tommy remarked. He liked most of Hayley's music and was the first to acknowledge how extensive her knowledge was. As her best friend, though, he thought it was his responsibility to make fun of her eclectic taste, to remind her that the rest of world knew much less than she did and didn't really care about obscure music.

"Yes, they're independent artists, but they have a lot of talent. You like some of them."

"True."

"Tommy, stop it. Stop being so difficult. You know I'll make today up to you."

"Hayley, you know you can always make it up to me. A bottle of wine sounds good. Good wine."

"How about some fresh flowers?" Hayley said facetiously.

Tommy shook his head. "I was thinking more a bottle of wine." Then he remembered Raul the flower guy was standing there. "No offense."

"None taken. Hayley isn't exactly a nature person either." He was smiling and Hayley feigned indignation.

"I'm willing to try new things. For instance, I jogged through the woods today. There was this friendly husky, and I didn't run away from it."

"That would be Mrs. Abernathy's dog. She forgets to close her gate, and it gets out and runs everywhere. It can go miles. Then the entire neighborhood organizes a search party to go find it. It's like every week. It's a good social event, but sometimes it can be a little much."

Tommy and Hayley laughed. "The next time I see it, I'll try to save the neighborhood the effort. Oh, Raul I wanted to ask about Shelby's colleagues."

Hayley explained to Tommy that Shelby was working on creating various hybrids, similar to the work that Dr. Mercer was working on in his lab. Hayley wanted to see more, maybe even help in the lab once in a while. Shelby seemed hopeful, though she had to check with her colleagues and the staff at the shop. Hayley thought if she could get inside scoop on these people, she could work a certain angle and be sure to get into the lab.

Raul thought about it. "I don't know much about Shelby's research partners, though I assume they must exist. But the only person at the shop who has any say is the big boss, Kim. I don't think she'll have a problem with it. I must warn you, though, I've been wrong before."

Hayley smiled, but Tommy just put on a blank face. He had trained himself not to react when he heard the name Kim, to the point where it almost sounded like any other name. Today Lisa's figure and charm had awakened his memory, especially the way she had reached for the white paper. He was subliminally vulnerable, so that when Raul uttered the name, Kim's presence was invoked in Tommy's mind, as if her ghost were right there in the room. Tommy of course hid this from Raul; He had been detached since the beginning of this conversation so he could easily withdraw into his own thoughts now. Hayley, on the other hand, could see through the facade. She would ask about it later, and Tommy didn't know what he'd tell her. He wanted to keep his impression of Lisa to himself, in order to understand it better. But he knew that eventually he would share it with Hayley. He just wanted to be able to choose when.

Hayley asked, "So what is Kim like? Any pet peeves I should be wary of?"

"None that I can think of. You'll like Kim. Everybody does, she's so full of life. Like Lisa. In fact, it seems to me that they are a more likely couple than Lisa and Shelby."

Tommy and Hayley both looked at him in shock.

"You didn't know, huh? I guess neither of them said the words 'my girlfriend.'"

Hayley was the first to find her voice. "No, no they didn't."

Tommy responded with "Lisa's gay?"

"That's everybody's first reaction. Everyone's second reaction is, 'why is she with Shelby?' I guess opposites attract," he shrugged.

As graceful as Lisa was, that's how choppy Shelby's movements were. She was considerably overweight and wore overalls and long-sleeved shirts, even in warmer weather. She wore no make-up, not that people would be able to see it as her thick glasses covered half of her face. Her head was small but she seemed to compensate for it with a mess of unruly curly red hair which constantly fell in her face. No one would be surprised to find her holed away in a lab somewhere or behind a computer screen for hours on end. Yet everybody at the flower shop could attest to the fact that Lisa loved her, and both seemed perfectly content with Shelby's less than fashionable appearance.

"I just can't believe it. Lisa's in such good shape, so outgoing and bubbly. And Shelby's none of those things. At all. And that hair," Hayley couldn't stop herself from airing her thoughts. She was too dumbfounded to keep the rudeness in.

"She's definitely got to do something about that hair," Raul affirmed.

"Lisa's gay?" Tommy repeated. Then he seemed to snap out of it. His face got red, and he whispered audibly, "I'm so glad Conner isn't here right now."

Hayley brightened up too, "Tommy that was exactly the right thing to say. We are not Conner. We are adults. We can handle this information. Information is my business after all."

It was Raul who answered, "Well you have about a minute to get yourselves together because I can see Lisa and him approaching in the distance."

When Lisa and Conner came in, the other three seemed to be in a casual conversation, the kind you could easily end at a moment's notice.

"You're finally here." Tommy was still a little flushed, but not enough to be raise suspicion. "Ready to go Conner?"

"Well as much as I like flowers… and Lisa," Conner smiled at her. "I think I'm in the mood for some soccer."

Lisa showed Hayley and the boys out. "Nice to meet you Mr. McKnight and Mr…?"

"Dr. Oliver," Conner cut in. "He's a doctor of paleontology."

Tommy elbowed Conner for his cheekiness, but he let Lisa know it was the truth.

"Nice to meet you, Dr. Thomas Oliver." Tommy was slightly taken aback by her use of his full name. If it sparked any recognition in her mind, it did not show on her face. Still her face at that moment remained in the back of Tommy's mind, as he dropped Hayley off, as he played soccer with the boys, as he laid down to sleep that night.


	5. November Friends, Old and New

November started out a particularly gray, and Hayley's had been more crowded than usual. Ethan liked the bustle, new faces mixing in with the old, and sometimes the place was so busy that it afforded some anonymity. Today, there were swarms of people around the cafe, and the barristas had their hands full. Ethan decided that rather than wait, he'd go make his own drink as he had done many times before. Technically, he should at least ask permission, but Ethan fancied himself a secret agent. He had been a power ranger after all, keeping his identity a secret under incredible odds. He could slip in and out unseen.

"As long as you're back here, Ethan, you might as well make two wheatgrass and honey shakes," Alice said, not looking away from her customers at the register. Ethan should have realized that Alice was quite the master spy herself. He did as he was told, since Hayley was out and Kirsty was drowning in espresso orders.

He had already mixed the drinks and was looking for some glasses when he accidentally brushed Kirsty's arm. "What are you doing back here?" She hissed, even though nothing had spilled or broken.

Alice pulled rank. "I asked him to help. We need two large soy nonfat lattes pronto."

Kirsty huffed, but did what she was told. The crowd soon dissipated, and Ethan took a seat at the bar with his large chocolate milkshake with extra whipped cream.

"You're lucky I don't make you pay for that."

"Hey. I helped you!"

"Under duress," Alice muttered, not looking at him. She was scanning the crowd, clearly looking for someone in particular and not finding them. She then turned her attention to her cousin, who was texting furiously and displaying her cell phone a little too prominently.

"So you think Stephen is a total yawn? Maybe you should dump him. Oh, but you're not going to because he has a nice cap?"

"Car. He has a nice car. Anyway, no one asked you, Go Ask Alice. At least I have friends."

"Go Ask Alice?" Ethan asked, taking the bait.

"Yeah, Go Ask Alice over here was kicked out of St. Ann's last week for drugs."

"Cigarettes."

"Whatever. Table 12 needs me."

Ethan drank his milkshake and studied Alice's face carefully. She wasn't embarrassed at all.

"She should be grateful that we won't see each other around school anymore. I know I am," Alice shared. "So, do you have any tips for surviving Reefside High?"

"I have a few." Tommy voice startled Ethan a little, but he was much more surprised to see Alice's face light up. As Tommy sat down, he added. "For instance, Alice, don't smoke outside the gym right as afternoon practice begins."

Ethan laughed and snorted a little, but the other two didn't seem to notice. Alice blushed and avoided eye contact. "Yeah, I think I got that one."

"You know, even your uncle wasn't dumb enough to pull that kind of stunt in high school."

"I guess I'm a bit of a numbskull." Alice playfully knocked her head with her fist.

"It's funny how you're ending up at public school like you always wanted. And your uncle and aunt save on tuition, you and Kirsty don't have to spend so much time with each other. If it weren't that expulsion on your permanent record, I'd say everything worked out for the better." Tommy flashed her a knowing look. "Anyway, I'm going to go check in with your cousin."

Hhm, cousins…Ethan thought to himself. He looked at Alice with new eyes. Her style of dress and attitude were starkly different from Kirsty's, but they had similar facial features and skin tones. Now Ethan saw why Kira thought they looked so much alike. Also this explained why Kirsty and Alice were so comfortable around each other despite being so different. Ethan's curiosity was sparked, and he was looking forward to seeing Alice around school.

"Hey Ethan," Alice interrupted his thoughts. "Can you watch the bar while I step outside for a minute?"

"Sure. Going out for a smoke?" Ethan asked with a hint of judgment in his voice.

Alice flashed him a smile. "No, just some fresh air. I don't smoke."

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Later that afternoon, Hayley returned with a bunch of fresh flowers and Lisa and Raul in tow. Tommy and Ethan had moved on to the tables, one to plan lessons, the other to play video games. Ethan had become bored with winning and happened to look up in time to catch Lisa entrance's, her flowing skirt following the movement of her body. He went straight for the counter, even though he didn't want to order anything. Kirsty was there by herself, and she was uncharacteristically eager to serve these two good-looking people, paying Raul special attention. She was even happier when Hayley introduced them as her friends.

"So, are you going to be regulars?" Kirsty asked with a big smile.

"Kirsty, they're from the flower shop. I thought I'd introduce them to my other world," Hayley said. "Ethan, are you the only one here? Where are the others? Wait, Conner's at soccer finals and Kira's cutting a new cd." Hayley sighed, "Sometimes my timing's off."

"Dr. O's over by the window," Ethan offered.

"Yeah, but it's not the same if the whole gang's not here." Ethan knew exactly what she meant. These two were Hayley's power ranger replacements, and she probably felt a little guilty about that, like she was abandoning her old family. However, Ethan knew it wasn't like that. He understood the need to move on, although he hadn't figured out how to do it himself yet.

"Well, maybe we could stop by the flower shop some time," Ethan suggested. He actually thought this was the dumbest idea ever, but Hayley pounced on it.

"You could come see the lab! Ethan, you'd really like it, and you're one of the few people who will appreciate how my new program analyzes plant DNA. The code is beautiful, and the processor is so fast. Just as long as you promise not to jack any of the hardware…"

"You know me too well," Ethan admitted.

Kirsty brought them their drinks. Lisa had insisted on two teas with sugar to go, which was an odd request but no one paid it any mind. Ethan was too smitten to actually pay attention to the content of what she said, and Kirsty was busy complimenting her clothes. Soon the conversation turned to Raul's bilingual childhood, and Lisa faded into the background. She made a graceful exit and headed over to Tommy's table.

"Here's a refill on your tea, Dr. Thomas Oliver," she said as she handed him a cup. Tommy didn't know if he was more startled by her presence or her repeated use of his full name.

"What a pleasant surprise." His smile was genuine.

"Yes, I was in the neighborhood. Did you know Hayley works here?" Lisa said jokingly.

"That's the rumor. I think a big clue is the Hayley's Cyberspace sign outside."

"That was my second clue. My first clue was when Hayley said, 'Now I'm going to take you to see my real job.'" Lisa looked out the window and sipped her tea as she talked. Tommy suspected that she was only talking to him because she was really bored, but it didn't really bother him. He sipped his tea and watched her play with her hair.

"So how are things in your neck of the woods?" Tommy asked.

"Fine. It's the down season, so I'm a little bored. Sometimes I don't care how much water a cactus can withstand."

"Huh?"

"Oh, Hayley hasn't explained the research to you?" Lisa was a little surprised.

"No. She knows it would just fall on deaf ears."

"Then I won't bother. I couldn't do it justice anyway," Lisa leaned over and started reading his papers upside down. "The Benefits of Sex... What are you working on, Dr. Thomas Oliver?"

"It's a lesson plan." Tommy went on to explain the costs and benefits of sexual and asexual reproduction, how asexual reproduction ensured that every gene would live on in the next generation while sex did not. Lisa followed his explanation, getting more than just the gist. She picked up on crucial details and asked interesting questions, though it was clear that much of the information was new to her. She was definitely bright but not particularly educated. Also she seemed preoccupied and her gaze intermittently drifted out the window. Tommy was about to ask her what she was looking at, when her phone rang. It was at the bottom of her purse, and she had to empty some of the contents to reach it. It rang several times before she answered it, and the tune seemed very familiar. It bothered Tommy that he couldn't place it.

Suddenly, right when she ended her call, it hit him.

"_Straight Up_ by Paula Abdul. Man, that takes me back," Tommy laughed.

"I actually had the ringtone custom-made. If you knew Paul, you'd know that was the perfect song for him. Unfortunately, I have to go. Do you want me to trash that for you?" She pointed to his cup. Tommy didn't want any more tea, and he also recognized that recognized that it was time for the conversation to end.

"Yeah, I guess I'm done with it. Thanks. It was nice seeing you again, Lisa."

"You too, Tommy," she said, saying his name normally for the first time that day.

She took the cups with her as she went over to the counter to say her good-byes and didn't throw them away when she left. No one noticed her seal them in a plastic bag and stuff them into her purse, just as no one had noticed her slip her datebook under Tommy's papers. Tommy packed it with the rest of his things later that afternoon, thinking he had simply had a pleasant conversation with a new friend.

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Hayley's knack for information included both the useful and the unnecessary, and she paid particular attention to the lives of those closest to her. She would admit to the odd occasion when she was wrong, usually with some chagrin, and she admired those few who could slip something past her. However today, she would have would have been dismayed to learn that she was wrong about Kira's whereabouts. Kira was not recording a new cd. Instead she sat alone in her room, eating cold cereal out of the box and listening to other people's depressing folk music. She had taken a break from her band.

It was the second recording session they had canceled in the last month, as Kira remained unsatisfied with the current collection of songs. She only heard incomplete lyrics and insecure melodies, and she refused to call any of them a finished product. Instead she referred to them as "a misguided attempt," "an experiment gone wrong," or "musical refuse." The rest of the band was bemused; they found her work good, even catchy, but they also respected Kira's instincts. Though a perfectionist, Kira provided the hits; her talent was the reason they had a fan base in the first place. By giving her space, her bandmates figured Kira would find a way to channel her frustration into something truly inspired. Nothing created great music like boy problems, they insisted. Of course, they didn't know the whole story, and Kira herself couldn't put it into words. That what writer's block was: feelings without a narrative.

It had taken eight hours of doing nothing, but Kira had finally tired of her own inertia. She contemplated the history report that was due in a month but instead dialed Trent's number. She sniffed her t-shirt first to make sure she didn't smell. It was important not to smell when you left a message for your boyfriend three thousand miles away, especially when he hadn't returned her last few phone calls. Why was she in this long-distance relationship again? She leaned back against the headboard and rehearsed the "I'm bored, please call me, don't want to sound desperate" routine in her head as she counted the rings.

"Hello, sweetie," Trent answered in a warm voice.

Kira couldn't find her voice for a moment. She expected one more ring before Trent's voicemail kicked in. Finally she sat up and forced out a "Hi," not having enough air in her lungs for more than one word.

"You sound surprised. You meant to call me right? There's not some other man, is there?"

"I was lying in a weird position, and I didn't expect you to answer. Can you blame me?" Kira hoped she didn't sound too bitter, and she was happy that she didn't have enough energy in her voice to sound confrontational.

"No, nobody's blaming you. I blame my professors. Four midterms in three days."

"Ouch."

"Yep, I slept 15 hours straight today. That's after being awake for 50 hours before that. I got up literally 45 minutes ago."

"Seriously?" Kira looked at the clock on her nightstand. It read 1:30 pm, making it 4:30 in New York.

"Yeah, when I was the evil white ranger, I had all this stamina. I never slept. Sometimes I wish I could be evil again. Just for a few days here and there, when I have too much work."

"But if you were evil, you probably would have projects other than your schoolwork. Evil projects…"

"I could do evil art. Some of my best work is dark," Trent joked, though part of him wished this was true. If anything, his work was too light, or as Ms. Jupiter would say, too L-I-T-E lite. He decided to change the subject. "So I'm sorry I haven't returned your messages. I just got them. You didn't say much. How are things with you?"

"Same old, same old. But enough about me, how are things with you?" Kira really hoped Trent wouldn't push the issue.

"Kira…"

"No, seriously. School's fine. The boys are fine. The band is fine."

"You cut a record recently, right? This week? Last week?"

"Actually, no." Kira didn't want to go into it. She knew if she told him the truth, he would ask questions to figure out what was wrong. She didn't know what was wrong, so what was the point in talking about it? She needed an easy out. "Jerry- the bassist- got sick, so we had to postpone till next month."

"A whole month?"

"Yeah, they're all booked up." Kira was surprised how easy it was to lie to him. "So enough about me, how about you?"

Trent laughed. He did want to talk about his work, but he wasn't sure Kira would understand. He hoped he could find the words.

"Well first there's my 3D integrated studio. Guess what I did for that?"

"Comic book characters."

"Right. They were based on the rangers but I made them space avengers instead. The monsters were my favorite part."

Kira liked Trent's monsters too, though she couldn't exactly call them art. Trent was a good artist, but his taste was very different from her own.

"Then there's my world art class. I did a report on jazz and art in the Harlem renaissance. I'm presenting on Tuesday, and I still have to pick out half my tunes."

"I didn't know you were into jazz."

"My dad is a huge fan. When he visited, we went on a tour of Harlem and he taught me a lot. To tell you the truth, I don't think it counts as 'world art,' but I don't care."

"I wish we'd studied stuff like that in school. Instead of stupid World War II."

"I know. These classes are killing me, but it blows my mind. When I told him about my paper, Wilson taught me a lot about Philip Dunbar. I really like his use of color."

"I thought Dr. Wilson was the one you hated."

"No that's Ms. Jupiter."

"Jupiter?"

"I know, right? She teaches my 2D studio class. I've never drawn so many landscapes. I hate landscapes."

"I don't," Kira said and surprised herself. She didn't know she had an opinion on the matter, but for some reason a landscape seemed the perfect painting to her at that moment.

"Really?"

"Yeah, they're peaceful. Sad."

"Not always. See here's the thing…"

Kira heard half of what he said. They both knew it wasn't as important to her as it was to him. It was just nice to hear his voice. It was calming, like a landscape.

"…so that's why my midterm has tornadoes in it." Trent finished.

"I don't like tornadoes," Kira said. "But I bet they're hard to draw. I'm proud of you Trent. You sure are doing a lot."

"Yeah. Hold on, there's someone at the door." Kira could hear the muffled conversation in the background, and she didn't feel jealous. It was nice that Trent had people to talk to, people who understood how a 3D studio and a 2D studio were different, and why this was so important that you had to have two different classes. Trent's art terminology was foreign to her, and she knew that Trent was dumbing it down.

"Listen Kira, they're going out to dinner, and I'm starving. Can I call you later?"

After they hung up, Kira thought about how different their lives were. Trent was experiencing so many new things, and his conversation flew in innumerable directions and rushed past her. She was happy for the window into his life, happy that he was so attentive to her, actually happy that he was thousands of miles away. If he were here, Kira would have to keep pace with him, and she didn't know if she could do that.


	6. The Little Blue Book

It amazed Tommy Oliver that no matter how organized he was on Sunday, by Wednesday his briefcase was a mess. He was finally getting to his lesson comparing sexual and asexual reproduction with his AP class, and the lesson plan was buried in his binder. It was times like these that his PhD came in handy. Not only did he know his material cold, but he knew how to direct students' attention to the key concepts, concepts he had once struggled with himself. 

"I know you're eager to get started on the lab, but it's my job to torture you. We will start with group discussion for fifteen minutes. You'll have to hand in a summary of your discussion at the end of class. This is the form I want it in."

As Tommy detailed his expectations on the board, most of the students groaned and flipped through their notebooks. Kira just smiled. After helping Dr. O organize his junk last year, she knew his game. The group discussion was just a stalling tactic so that Tommy could locate something he had misplaced. Kira knew that Tommy was a good teacher, the discussion would be challenging and relevant, but she knew improvisation when she saw it.

"Quit whining. If one of you gets the right answer now, I'll spare you the assignment. Now please tell me: What is a gene?"

The topic was broad and deceptively hard, so the students would have to guess what he was looking for. To gauge the reaction of the class, Tommy looked to his rangers as a representative sample. Conner was scouring his notes for the exact definition. Ethan's hand was raised with arrogant enthusiasm, while Kira was doodling with a subtle grin on her face. She was one of the few who recognized that this was a trick question.

"Yes, Ethan?"

"A gene is DNA code that determines a specific trait. You get one gene from your mother and one gene from your father. For instance, if you have blue eyes, you need to get the blue-eyed gene from your mom and the blue-eyed gene from your dad because blue eyes are recessive. It's not always that simple, but that's the basic idea."

"Wrong. It's not even the basic idea. It's from the seventh-grade, and this is a college-level class. Anybody else?"

The class was silent, in awe that Dr. O had dismissed Ethan's answer so completely.

"Ok. Let's take my favorite monster, the dinosaur. Some people say it looks like a lizard, and many dinosaurs were named for lizards. Dinosaurs and lizards are both?

"Reptiles." Ethan tried to regain some of his esteem. It might be any easy question, but it showed Dr. O. that he could follow his train of thought.

"Right and a falcon is a bird."

Everyone laughed. Suddenly they were not in AP or even freshman biology, but in elementary school. They had no clue where Dr. O was going with this.

"So the dinosaur looks like a lizard but is more closely related to…?"

"A falcon?" Ethan remembered reading somewhere that reptiles and birds were relatively similar. Conner shot him a skeptical glance.

"Correct. Clearly genes are not only about physical appearance or even some aspects of physiology. There isn't a one-to-one correspondence. Somehow certain dinosaurs became birds or at least shared a common ancestor, simply by parents passing their genes to the next generation. We are talking about sexual organisms…"

Snickers were inevitable, and Tommy knew the best way to handle his careless choice of words was to ignore it.

"…so not all of the genes are passed on. That's very important. Start with what Ethan said and think about what you know about meiosis. What is a gene? Remember, one sheet per three-person group. Make sure the list is legible. I don't care if your conclusion is correct, I just want the analysis to be thoughtful. You may use your books."

Tommy knew none of them would get the right answer, but at least he had started them thinking. When he opened his overstuffed binder, the first thing he found was the datebook. It was a blue-green leather, nicely bound, and pocket-sized. Clearly it belonged to a girl.

"Excuse me, but is anyone missing this? Attention, please." Tommy sighed and waited, holding the book up and making sure it was displayed clearly. The chatter soon died down. "Anyone? Students of the female persuasion? Look familiar?"

No one claimed it, and they soon returned to their assignment. Tommy just threw it back in his bag with a mental note to ask his later classes. His formidable pile awaited.

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That evening, Tommy settled into his secluded living room, the classic rock station quietly humming in the background and a cup of Darjeeling keeping him warm. Getting the students' definitions of gene out of his briefcase, he dropped the datebook on the floor. Of course, he had forgotten to ask his other classes, but now he at least had the time to find the owner's name. He expected to find the contact information on the first few pages, but instead there was a series of quotes. The first one stood alone in the center of the page:

"_It's never too late to be what you might have been_." - George Eliot

He liked the quote and the name seemed familiar. It took him back to college and his freshman year… to _Middlemarch_. That book was so thick he really had no choice but to read the Cliff's notes. Was George Eliot a character in that book? Or the author? Tommy couldn't remember. He thought the author had been a woman, but now he wasn't so sure. George Eliot sounded right. He had liked the book, or the Cliff's notes at least. Tommy wrote himself a reminder to look into George Eliot.

He turned to the quotes on the next page.

"_Life may be a hazardous journey, but that doesn't mean you can't look good and smell nice along the way. Unfortunately, some of us have to settle for just smelling nice." - M. A. Thomas 11/23/2000_

"_I know you shouldn't live in the past, but what if the past is all you have to live for?" - M. A. Thomas 11/23/2001_

"_Teach a man to fish, he will eat for a lifetime. Teach a woman to rescue herself, she will be free for a lifetime. She already knows how to fish." - M. A. Thomas 11/23/2002_

"_Like a caveman, I have sought shelter under a cliff. To get out, the trick is learning how to climb over the cliff from the inside." - M. A. Thomas 11/23/2003_

"_Men like to show you off to the world then lock you in a fortress for your protection. There, they want to do dirty things to you and have you be eternally grateful. They alternate between putting you on display and keeping you hidden away as their prized possession. Paul is such a man." - M. A. Thomas 2/14/2004_

"_People often mistake me for a delicious Asian delicacy." Kim Chau 2/12/2004_

Tommy laughed at the last one. He knew that Kim Chau must be a friend of the owner's, and maybe M. A. Thomas was the owner herself. November 23 must be an important date. These random quotations made the book seem more mysterious, more interesting. Tommy considered reading further to see if he could guess the identity of the owner from the clues inside, but stopped himself when he remembered that it probably belonged to a student or a colleague. It was dangerous to venture too far into the personal lives of either.

Flipping to the back of the book, he found the name: _Lisa Ann Woolf_. So Woolf was Lisa's last name. Until that moment, Tommy hadn't suspected that the book belonged to her or anyone outside of the school for that matter. However, once he read her name, he knew immediately who it was. Lisa had been in the back of his mind since their first meeting, and this find only fed his appetite. Tommy smiled at how this book could be misconstrued. Another woman might have left it on purpose, as an excuse to see him again. Another woman who wasn't a lesbian. Sadly, Tommy had to admit to himself that Lisa had no ulterior motive. She had been obviously distracted on Saturday, and given Tommy's inattentive nature, it didn't take a genius to figure out how the book ended up among his things.

Lisa listed her cell number and the flower shop as her address. Tommy could always give the book to Hayley to return to her, but he'd rather call her himself. Tommy reached for the phone then hesitated, a wicked smile growing on his face. The rules had changed. Lisa wasn't connected to the school or his professional life; she was a near stranger, the perfect target for a little snooping. No stalking, but just a peak at what the week had in store for Ms. Lisa Ann Woolf.

Monday held some meaningless numbers and names to call, some mention of insurance premiums. Tuesday had some meetings and notes. Wednesday was apparently dry-cleaning day. Why was Lisa so boring? Then, a second later, after reading Friday's plans, Tommy was on the phone with Hayley.

"Hayley, listen. Lisa knows about the power rangers. She's going to ask you about it when you next go in. If she remembers, that is."

"What?! Tommy what did you tell her?" Hayley couldn't believe Tommy would be that careless, especially with a woman he had no chance with.

"I didn't say anything. It's in her datebook. For Friday it has, and I quote, _Ask Hayley about PR_. End quote."

Hayley was silent for moment, taking the time to figure out how much she wanted to mess with Tommy.

"You know Tommy," she said cryptically. "Lisa has already asked me about PR."

"What?"

"Tommy, what does PR mean? You know, outside of the ranger universe. Tommy Oliver's own little universe." Hayley was laughing now.

Tommy literally slapped his forehead. "Public Relations."

"Yes, Tommy. As a small business owner, I do know a thing or two about PR. I'm not surprised that you were suspicious though. When we spy on other people, we become more paranoid ourselves. I should know." It dawned on Hayley that there was a piece of the puzzle missing. "So you're the one who has her day-planner? She's been looking all over for the thing. Tommy, what on earth are you doing with it?"

"To tell you the truth, I don't know. I just found it in my bag this morning. I can only imagine that it got mixed in with my things on Saturday."

"Saturday. And in typical Tommy fashion, you only found it today. So did it contain any other pressing bits of information?"

"Well this weekend she's going to _Buy T.O. shirt for Kim_. See, I'm not paranoid!"

Hayley thought for a second. "Yeah, I don't know what that's about, but it's definitely not about you. Lisa always calls you Dr. Thomas Oliver. Sometimes Dr. O. Besides you haven't even met Kim…"

No, he hadn't. And he didn't think Kim Hart would be mistaken for a Chinese delicacy. Unless she married some guy named Chau … Tommy was not about to share these thoughts with Hayley.

"In my defense, Hayley, I was just searching for clues to the owner's identity. At first, I had no idea the book was Lisa's."

"So you looked for the answer in November. Try the front page."

"Actually, it was on the back page."

"Like that wasn't your second guess. Anyway, I don't blame you for snooping. I would have done the same, probably more." This was true, and it did make Tommy feel less guilty.

"Do you want to drop it off at the cafe tomorrow?" Hayley offered.

Tommy hesitated, "Um, actually…"

"Actually, you'd rather call her, right?" Hayley couldn't say she was surprised. "Tommy, you're wasting your time…"

"I know. Unfortunately, I have nothing better to do than waste my time."

Hayley couldn't disagree, and she wasn't entirely opposed to Tommy and Lisa striking up a friendship. This would bring her two worlds together nicely.

"I guess nothing bad can come of it. Let me know what happens, ok?"

Tommy promised not to leave out any details. After he hung up, he immediately called Lisa, afraid to lose his nerve.

"Hello?" The voice was uncertain. Lisa did not recognize the number.

"Hello, this is Dr. Thomas Oliver."

"Dr. O, is it? How did you get my number?"

"From a little blue book."

"My calendar book! You found it! Wait, where did you find it?" Lisa paused as if her mind was reviewing the events of the past week. "Saturday. Hayley's Cyberspace."

"Right. I'm sorry. I just found it in my bag. I must have picked it up accident…"

"No, no, no," she interrupted. "It was my fault. I should be more careful with my things. Anyway, you are my hero. I have to do something to make it up to you."

Tommy knew better than to say what was on his mind. He did want to see her again though.

"Don't be ridiculous. Look, when do you think I could bring it back to you? Maybe I could stop by the shop tomorrow?"

"No, I'm not in tomorrow. How about Friday?"

"No, I have guests coming. This weekend is out," Tommy sighed. "I guess I'll just have Hayley give it to you on Friday."

Lisa too was disappointed. "Drat. I was hoping to see you again. Hey, I know Raul's taking a few of us on a hike near Shamos Falls next Saturday. The 20th. Do you want to come? Hayley will be there. That should provide its share of entertainment, if you know what I mean."

Tommy laughed at the thought of Hayley hiking up a rocky incline, which probably would seem like a mountain to her. Then he thought about the last time he was on an actual hike. He used to go every weekend in college, but now it seemed like he had no time. It was ironic that he lived in the woods yet drove everywhere.

"That's sounds perfect. It's a date then…" Tommy said before he could stop himself.

"It's a date." Lisa agreed.

Before Tommy got off the phone, he had the urge to tell her that it was never too late to be what she might have been. He didn't know why he suddenly wanted what he couldn't have. It wasn't like him. Maybe George Eliot would have some insight. He went to look the name up on the internet before he forgot.


	7. Meeting Up on Friday

When students first entered Dr. Oliver's classroom, they usually ignored the large table behind the door. It was filled with reference books, anatomical models and other random bits of clutter, those resources appetizing to graduate students and to no one else. Tommy realized this on Friday morning, when he came face to face with the inch of dust coating everything on the table. He regretted that it had been months since he had looked at any of this stuff, but now was not the time to worry about it. He quickly moved his belongings to the hall closet and wiped off the table. Tommy had to be at the airport by 2 PM, and he had less than half an hour to get his act together before the first bell.

Tommy dragged the table flush against his desk at a ninety-degree angle, so that the two formed an upper-case "L." This set-up would be the first thing students saw when they came in and the last thing they passed when they exited, a perfect launching pad for the new Tommy Oliver assembly- line Friday. First Tommy put down the PowerPoint notes for his six courses in correct chronological order. In the middle of the table, he placed sticky notes designating where students should turn in their assignments: lab reports (for the three classes of freshman Bio), research proposals (for Experimental Design and Statistics), permission slips (Paleontology elective). The last post-it was labeled "Et. Al." It was mostly for AP class, which had overlapping assignments and flexible deadlines, so Tommy could never be sure what would be turned in on a given week. He wished all classes could be run like this- it broke up the monotony of reading the same paper thirty times in a row. Besides he would not be doing any grading this weekend, so it didn't matter what ended up in the "Et. Al." pile. He just needed his assembly line to ensure that today ran efficiently and that when he returned on Monday, his papers would still be in some manageable order.

After Tommy had set up the overhead projector and separated his lesson plans, he mentally pat himself on the back. He was so proud of himself that he decided to write an outline of his first lesson on the board, something he had never done. It was a quarter after seven in the morning and the last thing he was expecting was a phone call, so when _Fur Elise_ sounded on his cell phone, he rammed the chalk into the board with a screech, hurting his fingers and his ears at the same time. The caller ID showed Hayley, which could only mean that his well-laid plans were going to go awry.

"What's wrong?" Tommy didn't even say hello.

Hayley laughed. "Well, the engine light is on. Raul's tinkering with it now. Hands only, no heavy machinery. He has no idea what he is doing..."

"This is the last thing I need. Do you think he can fix it?"

"No." Hayley said with humor behind her voice. Tommy couldn't see what was funny.

"What?! You know, we can't take my jeep. I don't have other friends..."

"I know you don't have any other friends."

"...who I can ask. Friends with vans."

"Tommy, take a deep breath and think about what I said."

Tommy decided to count to five before he yelled at her again. Then he realized that this was Hayley, and Hayley could fix her own car. Between now and this afternoon, Hayley could build her own car.

"Hayley, is this just a fucked-up way of telling me that you and Raul finally got together last night?"

"You know, Raul's a funny guy. For someone so good with his hands, he doesn't know shit about cars."

Tommy laughed. "Did you disconnect something in the engine so that you could play damsel-in-distress?"

"It bought me a five-minute conversation with you, didn't it?"

"You know this plan might backfire. He could actually damage the car..."

"Don't be silly. I can fix whatever he breaks. I play hero much better than I play damsel-in-distress. So I'll pick you up at 1 PM?"

"That sounds about right. And Raul is not coming!"

"No, I think he's done that enough for one day." Hayley hung up.

Tommy appreciated Hayley's dirty humor, and he knew that he was one of the only ones exposed to it, if not the only one. At least one of them was getting laid, Tommy thought to himself. He looked at the clock. There still was five minutes before the first bell, plenty of time to finish his outline on the board. As he wrote, he repeated a calming mantra in his head, "I will not leave this room in disarray, I will not leave this room in disarray."

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Tommy was waiting on the front steps when Hayley pulled up, but she still got out of the car. She handed him a cup of coffee, an unusually thoughtful gesture. Tommy would have been suspicious of her generosity if the cup hadn't felt cold in this hand.

"Do you want me to throw this away for you? Because the trashcan is technically closer to where you're standing."

"Actually, Raul left it earthier this morning. I have my own and you're always saying how cold coffee is the perfect lunchtime beverage."

"It is." Tommy downed it in one gulp. A little stale, but at least the milk had fully blended in. He didn't mind being used as alternative form of garbage disposal. "Now we've both been exposed to Raul's cooties today."

Hayley blushed a little, because it was true and she was happy. She took the cup back and tossed it, slam dunk, nothing but air.

"Yay," Hayley did a little victory dance. It was odd but charming. "You're driving."

"Why? Because you made a basket from five feet away?"

"No, because today is going so wonderfully that I can afford to cede control. I think I'm going to enjoy being the passenger for once. Besides we both know that I'm going to be driving on the way back, and parking is such a headache."

"True enough. Here." He shoved his briefcase into her arms as he went over to the driver's side. The keys were still in the ignition. "Feel how light this is. Doesn't have any unnecessary scrap of paper in it. It's my achievement for the week."

Hayley leafed through the bag once she was in the car. "I'm quite impressed. Just the bare necessities. Though I'd hate to see what your classroom looks like right now."

"Shipshape. I'm serious. I'm turning over a whole new leaf."

"It'll last a week."

"Probably,." Tommy admitted. "If even."

They pulled directly onto a major road, and traffic was pretty smooth until about 20 minutes in. Just as they slowed, Tom Petty's Refugee came on on the radio and Tommy looked at her and smiled, "I guess you're not a refugee anymore. You've found a refuge."

Hayley nodded, "I hope so. That's what I want. You don't have to live like a refugee either, you know."

"I don't even know what that means. I like the song, but that doesn't mean I understand it." They both laughed.

"But seriously Tommy, I have a really good feeling about this relationship- this budding relationship. It's something new and it's mine. I haven't had something like this in a while. I'm really happy."

"Raul's a good guy."

"I was just thinking how right this feels. No matter what the future might bring, I'm happy. Of course, by no matter what, I mean a long-term relationship and then happily ever after."

Although Hayley laughed at herself, she was dead serious, and Tommy knew it. To his mind, however, this romanticism and honesty wasn't foolish; it was brave. Hayley knew what she wanted and she wasn't afraid to say it aloud, at least out loud to him. Yet she also accepted the difference between desire and reality. Tommy couldn't help but think of himself and his poor excuse for a romantic life. He could tell by Hayley's earlier "refugee" comment that she was hoping to turn the conversation in that direction, to get him to open up. He didn't see the point however, since nothing was going to change any time soon.

"Well, I want that for you too. It's great to see you so happy. You look especially pretty right now. It must be afterglow..."

Hayley rolled her eyes."Raul left over five hours ago. This beautiful complexion is all me, thank you for noticing."

The conversation shifted to Hayley's new exercise routine, and how the plans for the weekend would unfold. Yet again, Tommy had successfully avoided talking about himself.

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Kira and Conner had the same lunch break and often hung out with a bunch of soccer players and artists; two groups that had never mixed in the past. Now that it was senior year, students in general were putting aside superficial differences and finally getting to know the "others" they had ignored for the past three years. It was easy to attribute this change to nostalgia, as if they were all trying to hold onto the familiar before they were thrust into the great unknown after graduation. However, there were other factors at work. As seniors, they were the leaders of the school, and with more responsibility came more confidence. They had cars, they had parents who suddenly realized their babies were growing up, they had the freedom to seek out new experiences and to test boundaries. Jocks and rebels easily bonded over alcohol and recreational drug use, and those like the rangers, who weren't that into drugs, shared other, less illegal experiences. It was as if the unlikely grouping of Conner, Kira and Ethan the year before had been a model for the current social scene at Reefside High.

When Kira got to their table, she was surprised that Conner wasn't there. She had dawdled after biology class and had expected to find him already entrenched in the conversation, in this case a heated debate over the football team's recent loss. Kira was bored of the conversation even before she sat down, so she quickly packed up her lunch and started wandering around. As she walked the length of the yard, she mistook two different people for Conner and figured she might as well look for him inside. She would have missed him if there hadn't been a Frisbee game taking up the width of the field. Kira had to take a detour to avoid being taken down by a disk, and out of the corner of her eye, she caught a lone figure sitting at the far end of the grounds. There he was, facing the soccer field, deep in writing, cut off from the commotion around him. Kira had no idea what he was doing.

"Conner?" She said carefully as she approached so as not to startle him.

"Oh, hi Kira," Conner looked up and smiled, showing no sign of secrecy or embarrassment.

"Um, what are you doing?" Kira saw he had a sketchpad in his hand but was unable to make out the picture from her angle.

Conner saw the confusion on Kira's face, and it just made him laugh. "Isn't it obvious? I'm sketching."

"You don't have Art this semester." Kira was unsure whether to be concerned or just make fun of him for doing something so out of character.

"I don't know, I'm just in a funky mood. Dr. O's class was so weird."

"I know. He was like a drill sergeant, and then he bolted out of there," Kira sat down and made herself comfortable. "But what does that have to with drawing? Unless there's some kind of Dr. O/ Trent/ ranger connection that I just don't get."

"No, it's just that after the class I was restless. I didn't want to run, which I guess was different. I don't know. So I decided to draw."

Kira looked over his shoulder. It was the soccer field with some trees scattered throughout. It was standard caliber for a high school student, but after seeing Trent's work, Kira was kind of a snob.

"Don't quit your day job."

"Hey! Trent- you know, your boyfriend, the expert on all things art- thinks I have a lot of creativity."

"There's a difference between creativity and talent," Kira retorted, meaning it as a joke. A second later she realized how offensive that was, how upset she would be if anyone had said that to her, especially about her music.

"Not so!" For his part, Conner seemed to take it in stride. He sat there admiring his mediocrity, "They say practice makes perfect. Or in my case, practice makes good enough."

"You have a good attitude." Kira meant it, but she still had to give him a hard time. "Of course, you're going to need it for all the practice it's going to take you to draw a decent picture."

"Yes, maybe you should draw too. Then we'll see who needs more practice," Conner challenged her and started to sketch some more. Conner seemed so relaxed about this new hobby, his attitude was so different from his attitude towards soccer. It was clear that he didn't take drawing that seriously. Still, this project was unlike him. It was like he was looking for new ways to occupy his time, when before he was just content doing nothing.

"No, I think I'll pass. I'll just sit here and eat my lunch and watch you be completely random."

"Don't knock it till you've tried it."

"No, I'm totally a spectator. And as this shows, I can watch anything." Kira took a huge bite of her sandwich and enjoyed munching like a cow next to her best friend. There wasn't really anything she wanted to do at that moment, except for sit and watch and do nothing.

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When Hayley and Tommy entered the international terminal, they were greeted by swarms of people. There were several long lines, disorganized and overlapping, and some of the more confused travelers huddled off to the side, trying to figure out where they had to go. People who were stationary were just obstacles for those who were moving, the ones who were late, the ones who had delays, cancellations, or the ones who by some twist of fate had ended up in the wrong line for forty minutes. Any airport could be chaotic, but Reefside was especially cramped and disorganized. It wasn't built for the post 9-11 world, and the line for Departures actually started in Arrivals. Yet once you passed through security, there was huge empty space with a few scattered stores, the ghost of the mall that had thrived in earlier times. Now all the commotion was confined to the entrance, and Hayley and Tommy, innocent bystanders waiting for their friends, were the people of least priority. They stood there taking in the mob scene, trying to figure out the best possible strategy to take. Under his breath, Tommy thanked god they had paid for hour-parking.

He looked at Hayley, shrugging his shoulders, "So much for any easy errand..."

She glared back at him,"Why can't you have Domestic friends like everyone else?"

"What? Like a cat?"

"No. Forget it. Just go find them. I'll stay back and look at the big picture. A wide-angle view, if you will." Hayley pushed him into the crowd of no return.

"Ok, just keep your cell phone handy in case I get lost. Which I will."

"I know."

As Tommy made his way through the crowd, he tried to get a peek at the line leaving Customs. It was fruitless. One moment he could see people come out, the next they would blend into the crowd; there wasn't even enough time to make out their faces. With various conversations and white noise around him, there was no point in shouting out their names. He almost laughed every time he heard someone call, "Mom?" At least some people were in the same boat as he was. Others, however, had successfully found their friends, and Tommy couldn't figure out how they managed it. He felt like he was doing something wrong. The plane had come in almost 45 minutes ago, and there was no telling how long they had been waiting. He looked over at the limo chauffeurs and wished he too had a sign. He could have written their names in pink, red and gold. Pink might not have been so visible, but everyone would have at least gotten a kick out of it. And Michelle would have liked it.

Remembering Michelle, Tommy realized he did have a lead to go on. He might even have a step up on the competition, the competition being those people also anxiously looking for their friends and family. Tommy walked around slowly, keeping his gaze low and his ears open.

"Mummy, I'm hungry," a little girl said in thick accent. Tommy turned towards 7 o'clock and picked up his pace.

"When Uncle Tommy gets here, we'll have real American hamburgers," a familiar voice answered. Tommy knew he had to clear maybe twenty more feet to reach his destination.

"Uncle Tommy knows I don't like pickles, right?"

There she was, a bright four-year-old with blue eyes and brown hair in pigtails. She was sandwiched in-between two pairs of legs that towered over her and made her seem extra small. Little Michelle Scott had on blue corduroy overalls and a pink plastic backpack. Tommy hadn't seen her since she was born, but her eyes were her mother's and her smile all her dad's.

"I know you don't like pickles, Michelle. No pickles, I promise," Tommy answered once he was in their sight.

"Tommy!" Kat jumped up and gave him a hug, then took a step back. "Let me get a good look at you. Oh my god, Tommy. Your hair!" Tommy should have known that was the first thing she'd comment on.

"Kat, come on. You knew he cut his hair. He had this haircut when we went on the moon mission together," Jason finished loading the bags on the cart. "I swear, women. You tell them a hundred times, but do they listen?"

Kat hit him, "Hey. This is the first time I've seen him in person with short hair. As you both know, I wasn't invited on that mission. I didn't even get to fly to the States for it. In fact, Jason, if I recall correctly, you left me alone to take care of a one-year-old for two weeks. No holiday for a new mum."

"Kat, it wasn't a holiday. We were saving the world!" Tommy defended Jason again.

"I know. To tell you the truth, it didn't sound like my cup of tea." Kat rubbed her daughter's head.

"Don't worry, Tommy. Her biggest regret about missing that trip was not getting to see your short hair sooner," Jason moved towards Tommy and reached out to give him a brotherly hug, when he was suddenly stopped by his daughter pulling at his leg.

"Daddy, don't leave me," she said into the seam of his trousers as she hid behind him.

Jason laughed and reached down and picked her up in his arms, "Mickey, honey. This is Tommy. Remember we're coming to visit Uncle Tommy. Well, here he is."

Tommy waved, but Mickey just hid her head on her father's shoulder.

"She's just shy around new people, Tommy," Kat explained.

"Yeah. I hope I don't have that effect on all kids," Tommy joked.

"Oh, Tommy, you have always been great with kids," Kat reassured him, not picking up on his self-effacing humor. Her sincerity was so endearing, that Tommy actually felt better about his ability to relate to children, even though he had never really doubted himself in the first place.

"Thanks, Kat," Tommy smiled, then changed the subject. "I'm sure you're all really exhausted after your flight. Have you been waiting long?"

"Literally a minute. Unless you count the 16 hours of traveling beforehand," Jason shook his head.

"Let's not make it 17. I'll get Hayley to pull the car around. That'll buy us time." As Tommy made the quick call, he saw Mickey sneak peaks at him and then avoid his eye contact.

"She'll be at the door in 15 minutes."

"Just show me where to push the cart," Jason said, handing his daughter off to his wife.

"Don't be ridiculous. I'll take the cart." Tommy leaned in toward the cart when Jason suddenly batted his hand away. The met each others' gaze and no one moved for a moment. It was a standoff.

Then they both reached for the handle at the same time and the fight was on. The two were at it like 10-year-old boys, each trying to push the other's hand off and gain control of the vehicle. They managed to trip each other up a little bit. Kat stepped back, laughing, and Mickey just watched in fascination. Secretly, Jason was planning to cave in at some point. He was in it for the game, not for the victory.

"Mummy, mummy, mummy. Listen to me," Mickey started pleading quietly. Jason let himself be distracted and then pretended to be pissed when Tommy pulled the cart away. Tommy knew his friend lost on purpose but the game was fun for as long as it lasted.

Mickey noticed the two men looking at her and hesitated. Then she whispered loudly, "I wanna ride in the cart."

Jason sighed in disappointment. He figured that he would have to be the one to push the cart if there was to be any peace. A brief opportunity at laziness suddenly yanked away. Kat read his face and got an idea.

"Alright, Mickey. You can ride in the cart, but only if you let Tommy push you," she looked at her daughter straight in the face so she'd know her mom was serious.

Tommy jumped in, "Mickey, we can pretend you're a princess and I'm your servant."

Mickey looked up at her father, who nodded, and Kat placed her in the child seat.

"Which way should we go, princess?"

Mickey just shrugged, "I don't know." She looked Tommy directly in the face for the first time that afternoon.

"That's ok. I think I know the way." Tommy winked at her. "By the way, I like your bag. It's my favorite color."

"Me too!" Tommy started pushing the cart along and the two weary parents followed, thankful that their arms were free for the first time in almost a day.

"But it's a secret, you know why?" Tommy leaned in real close, and slowed down a little so he didn't bump into anyone. Mickey just shook her head.

"Because boys aren't supposed to like pink. Shh! Don't tell your dad. It'll be our secret." Mickey smiled and giggled all the way to the car. When Hayley met them, Mickey and Tommy were already old friends.

-----------------------------------

After school, Conner had a short practice and met up with Ethan and Kira on the school grounds. For some reason, none of the three wanted to go to Hayley's, so they fell into a walk around campus, just like old times, minus Trent.

"Ethan, guess what Conner was doing today at lunch."

"What? Eating?"

"No, that was Kira." Conner smiled.

"It's true. I'm a very healthy eater," she boasted. Then she thought about what she said. "Actually, I am a very healthy eater, come to think of it." Unlike most girls her age, Kira didn't have food issues. This was mostly due to her metabolism and her lack of a sweet tooth. She was one of those people who naturally listened to her body and didn't stress the small fluctuations in her appetite and weight.

"I'm glad Kira knows how to eat."

"Anyway, Ethan. I was sketching. You know how I make doodles. So Kira found me sketching the soccer field and is now making this huge deal out of it."

"I don't know. Seemed kind of weird to me. Suddenly you're an artist..."

"Kira, you have this way with men," Conner joked. "Soon all the men in your life will become artists."

"It's true," Ethan joined in. "I have even started teaching graphic design to my seventh graders."

"And what about Dr. O?" Kira was just baiting them to see if they would call Karate an art.

"Dr. O has taken up needlepoint," Conner suggested. Everyone laughed. They knew that this was Conner's mother's favorite hobby.

"Anyway, there's a hole in your theory. Even if we don't count Dr. O. and his 'needlepoint.' Graphic design doesn't count as art. You don't even use your hands," Kira argued.

"Wait, wait. Needlepoint is art but graphic design isn't. You must be playing." Suddenly the three were debating the age-old question of what constitutes art. They didn't notice how far they had traveled until they were already at the edge of the woods. When they realized where they were, they continued along Valencia Drive. The natural next step was to pay Dr. O a visit, just like old times, minus Trent.


	8. When Old Meets New

**I previously said you'd get more info on Kim in this chapter, but it got so long that I had to end on a teaser. You'll get the next chapter in a day or two.**

When Tommy's secluded house came into sight, the students were relieved. They had been walking for over an hour, and there would be hell to pay if the fridge wasn't well stocked. They could easily make out Hayley's van in the driveway from afar, and this image brought back fond memories; they hadn't seen it since their ranger days, even though they knew it was used all the time at the cafe. When they met each others' gazes, they knew they were all hoping the same thing, that it was a sign of something monumental, maybe even ranger-esque.

"Let's not get our hopes up," Ethan said. "I mean I doubt there's a laser or a motorcycle in there."

Conner smiled, "It's probably filled with flowers."

"Conner's right. Although Hayley does claim to have some state-of-the-art technology in her new lab..." Kira edged around the vehicle as if she were a spy. She had her back to the car and took her time to look around, kneeling at corners and moving very slowly. "I'll take the front, Conner you get the side, Ethan you're the lookout."

"Fine, but if there's any high tech stuff, I call dibs. Dude, if she pilfered any university-funded hardware, I'm going to love her forever." Ethan knew that Hayley would never actually steal any equipment, but there was always the chance they would let her have something for her personal use. Ethan imagined what it would be like if he himself could use it too, an even more unlikely proposition. Still, there was no harm in this fantasy and Ethan enjoyed mentally exploring the possibilities. To the outside observer, Ethan was a model sentinel, on his toes, facing the house and periodically making a panoramic sweep. He had learned this skill playing video games- maintaining attention to detail while enjoying his own personal, incommunicable thoughts.

"Sorry to disappoint, but I only have take-out bags from McDonald's up front," Kira reported.

"Huh. I never saw Hayley as the fast food type."

Conner slid the side door open,"Dude, I have found the motherload back here. I don't even know what it is." The others ran to join him and just stared silently for a few moments.

"A child's safety seat?" Kira asked to no one.

"A car seat," Ethan said in agreement. He wasn't correcting her so much as using his own terminology.

Conner snapped his fingers, "Right, that's what it's called. A car seat. Wait, what would Hayley want with a child's car seat?"

The other two were about to roll their eyes when they realized they couldn't answer that question themselves. They were all silent for a moment.

"Dude, I knew this flower shop thing was weird..." Ethan thought aloud, his eyes bugging out.

"What? You think she grew a baby?" Conner asked, being as serious as someone could be while saying that.

"As ridiculous as you are Conner, right now nothing would surprise me," Kira answered. "Alright, I'm going in. I'm going to in and touch it. I just hope I don't turn into a baby."

"Do you think it's safe? Maybe it's not really a car seat, but some kind of plant DNA converter." Conner didn't know what a plant converter looked like, and while this plastic thing didn't look like a machine, it was just as likely a plant converter as it was a child's car seat.

"Come on, you guys. We're power rangers." Kira stepped up and leaned into the car-

"Uh, guys?" Hayley peeked her head out of the front door.

The two boys gasped and jumped in surprise. Kira fell backwards between the two front seats with a whimper. Her ego and buttocks were equally bruised.

"What the hell is wrong with you three?"

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"So you guys opened the car looking for some high tech gear..." Dr. O poured out three more glasses of iced tea. Kira took hers immediately and threw herself onto the plush couch in order to give her aching backside some relief.

"A plant DNA converter. I was looking for that," Conner said with his mouth full of chocolate chip cookie.

"There's no such thing. You made it up," Ethan smirked.

"Yeah, and what would it convert the DNA into? A vicious monster?" Hayley said. She was kneeling at the coffee table, working on a jigsaw puzzle with Mickey and Kat. Since they had gotten home from the airport, she had spent a lot of time with Mickey while her parents set up the guest rooms. The more accustomed Hayley got to Mickey, the less she seemed like a child. Generally, it was good to be comfortable with kids, but Hayley was coming to realize how someone could be too comfortable. After Hayley let out the word "monster," Kat's head shot up in a moment of panic. Both Hayley and Michelle felt her apprehension at the same time and met each other's eyes. Mickey looked to Hayley for reassurance.

"It's not a real monster, is it?"

Hayley quickly saved the day, "No, it's a movie monster. From a scary movie. The boys like scary movies, but I don't. I don't think you're mom likes them either." Hayley smiled at Kat who mouthed 'thank you' and then tickled her daughter to distract her from the conversation.

"Here's the thing," Tommy said as he passed out the rest of the iced tea. "You were looking for some elaborate machine or even a weapon" - Tommy glanced at Mickey though he was sure that word wasn't in her vocabulary yet - "but you got freaked out when you found a child's car seat, an innocent car seat."

"We weren't 'freaked out.' We were just disappointed," Conner offered as an explanation.

"Oh, come on. We were totally flipping," Ethan insisted. "When I first saw the car seat, I was sure it was for some robotic midget."

Jason was puzzled by this comment. He couldn't figure out if Ethan was calling his daughter a robot or a midget or if Ethan just thought this was a normal way to describe children. It was clear that Ethan didn't understand kids, and nothing these teenagers had said in the last ten minutes had made much sense at all.

Ethan continued, "And how cool would that have been. But then, I realized that it might be for a real kid . . . what if Hayley was living a double life as a mom?"

Everyone laughed, including Hayley, although she was secretly bothered by Ethan's comment.

"Dude, that's true. She could like morph into a mom when no one was looking. She'd have super Mom powers too."

"What would her color be? Gray, maybe? That's a mom color." Kira mused.

"I don't know, Hayley. You did have that seat handy for us when we came..." Kat joined in on the joke for reasons of her own. The teens were playing a dangerous game, and they didn't even know it. They seemed to think that Hayley and motherhood mixed like oil and water. Hayley might not be overtly offended, but this much Kat knew: No woman wanted to be told that she wasn't the mother-type, not even in jest. Kat hoped to actually weaken the teens argument and indirectly boost Hayley's esteem.

Suddenly Hayley got a very serious look on her face. "Actually, Katherine, I have a confession to make. I didn't get that seat for Mickey. There is going to be a baby."

No one knew what to expect next. The silence was obvious, and all eyes were on Hayley. Mickey even looked up from the puzzle.

"Tommy's pregnant."

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The group decided on pizza for dinner because it was quick and cheap and everyone would eat it, including Mickey and Conner who had similarly limited palates. Tommy's house was outside the range for delivery, so he had to go out and pick it up. Having finished the puzzle, Kat took this time to get Mickey settled in her room. Tommy had two guest rooms right near each other and Kat and Jason had already unpacked most of the girl's things. Now Kat had to introduce her daughter to her routine for the next few days. Mickey would most likely crash after dinner, and her parents wanted bedtime to go as smoothly as possible. Kat invited Hayley to join her instead of her husband. She wanted to spend time with Hayley, who she had met several times before and considered a real friend. Also, the more camaraderie that developed between Hayley and Mickey the better.

In the living room, the teens were grilling Jason on his past and future activities. They had already established that Jason and Kat were here for a visit on their way back to Angel Grove. Jason's father had been diagnosed with prostate cancer earlier in the year and his prognosis was uncertain. They were moving back to help his mom out and give Mickey a chance to really know her grandfather. While they didn't know if they'd remain in the States permanently, Jason said they'd be here for at least a year, which made the teens happy.

"You have to stay in touch. I mean, you're so amazing. We almost missed you guys," Kira said from deep within the cushions of the comfortable couch. She had fallen in love with that couch.

"We were always going to have brunch together on Sunday," Jason reminded them. The teens often had brunch with Dr. O on Sundays, and Tommy had made them promise that they wouldn't miss this week. He had offhandedly mentioned guests, but they had assumed it was dinosaur colleagues. The whole ranger-connection was to have been a surprise.

"Yeah, but this is even better. Now we have a stronger bond," Kira explained. "I've only met one other female ranger besides Kat, and she was exactly my age. It was cool, but there wasn't exactly much I could learn from her. It's good to have Kat, who's more like a role model."

"I'm sure you appreciate the ranger couple model as well," Ethan said, just to annoy Kira. She stuck her tongue out at him but said nothing. The boys had been making subtle cracks all afternoon, and it was only a matter of time until KiraTrent was outed to Jason and Kat. At this point, however, Jason remained oblivious.

"Yeah, I wonder if every team has a ranger couple," Conner asked to Jason.

"I don't know. It wouldn't surprise me. We spend so much time together. Of course, Kat and I weren't a couple when we were rangers."

"Why not?" Conner didn't see how this was an inappropriate question.

"Well, you know she was with...We were both with other people at the time." Jason couldn't believe how close he came to messing up. He could tell by the inquisitive looks on the teens' faces that they knew nothing about Tommy's past, and while Jason knew this could not last forever, he didn't want to be the one to metaphorically let the cat out of the bag. As a girl, Kira would probably ask the right questions and figure it out before the night was over. Jason was hoping to delay the inevitable to a time when there were other Zeos in the room. If the truth were a group effort, they all could share the blame and Tommy's inevitable consternation.

"So were you with other rangers?" Ethan's curiosity was sparked. He could tell they were onto something.

"Hey, maybe they stole each other from other rangers." Conner worked his magic, taking the conversation past borderline inappropriate to outright rude. Such was the nature of his imagination. Normally, Kira would tell the boys to shut up. She might even cover their mouths with her hands if need be, but today she appreciated their nosiness. This way she got the juicy details without any social faux paus on her part.

Jason wanted to tell them it was none of their business, but he knew he couldn't get away with that. He thought about just saying no, they weren't with other rangers, but there were two problems. First, he was a terrible liar. Second, even if he managed to keep his story straight, he couldn't be sure that Kat, Tommy and even Hayley wouldn't say something to contradict it later. The best solution was a half-truth, something that would steer the conversation in another direction and would hopefully defer the issue to later time and to another person altogether.

"I was dating this girl Emily at the time. She worked in the Youth Center where we all hung out, but she wasn't a ranger. I mean she was friends with all the rangers, but she didn't know anything. We broke up when I went away for college. I didn't get together with Kat until after college."

"I bet in her subconscious she knew you were rangers. Like she'd have dreams where you were rangers, but then was too embarrassed to say anything about them afterwards. I mean, that's assuming you were a serious couple. How long did you date? If you don't mind my asking..."

"Six months. We weren't that serious, but we were pretty close. She was definitely part of the group. But I don't know where you're going with this 'dream about rangers' thing. She never mentioned anything like that to me. She really didn't have any suspicions whatsoever, I don't think." Jason didn't understand Kira's logic but he was grateful they had skipped over Kat's former relationship.

"I bet she knew without knowing." Kira said matter-of-factly.

"What are talking about, Kira? 'Knew without knowing.' What the hell does that mean?" Conner shook his head.

Ethan followed with, "Are you having psycho visions, Kira? Like a 666 sense?"

Of course Kira wasn't really talking about Emily. "I got this on good authority from Trent. Before he became the white ranger, Trent had a dream about the power rangers. And he said I was in it and Dr. O. Though he didn't say we were rangers, just that we were connected in some way."

Jason, "Yeah, this Trent guy might have been particularly sensitive. I mean, I don't think Emily had a clue. Which is not to say she was stupid. Just that most people just don't seem to get it, even when they are expressly looking for it."

The three nodded their heads, thinking of their experience with Devon and Cassidy the year before.

"Did Tommy every tell you about Bulk and Skull?" Jason assumed Tommy hadn't, and the blank faces before him confirmed as much. Jason eagerly launched into his story, summoning up new enthusiasm for the funny bits, thankful that he could now put his early fears to rest. Here he was sharing some ranger history with the next generation, without opening up Tommy's romantic life to scrutiny. Tommy had always been taciturn, especially in recent years, and the teens were clearly starved for information. Jason was happy to give them the insight into Tommy's past. They deserved this insight and it would only to strengthen their connection to the real Tommy, the man hidden underneath his hardened veneer.

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When Tommy came back, everyone was gathered in the living room ready to pounce. His guests aggressively dove for their slices of plain, meat-lover's and mushroom and onion and then took extra care not to drip cheese or sauce on the furniture. Jason cut small pieces for his daughter while his wife not-too-delicately stuffed half a slice into her own mouth, laughing at her own childishness. Only Ethan wasn't eating. After quickly grabbing his slice, he slipped into the kitchen.

"Where is Ethan going?" Kira asked, finding it weird that Ethan would wait to eat.

Conner mumbled something about the bathroom as he sucked his first slice down. He really had no idea where Ethan was going, but that was as good a guess as any. However, when Ethan returned a minute later with his own fork and knife in hand, Conner momentarily lost his appetite. He just sat there and stared as Ethan started cutting into his sausage, pepperoni and cheese.

"Dude, what are you doing?" Conner asked him menacingly. He wanted to rip the silverware out of his teammate's hand. He really couldn't believe that Ethan could be this embarrassing- in front of the original red, no less.

"I just always eat pizza with silverware," Ethan shrugged and dug in. Few people knew that he didn't like finger food. When he was younger and more O.C.D., he hid it well. Now, he really didn't see what the big deal was. Conner was about to lay into him harder, when Kat rushed to his defense "Don't make fun of him. A lot people do that. It's very European."

This was classic Kat, always ready to rescue a person in need. She often misinterpreted how other people would react. In this case, everyone laughed. Ethan could hardly pass for a European sophisticate, and the comparison was more ludicrous than eating pizza with a fork and knife. The humor might not have been obvious to Kat, but she was happy that tension was diffused; that was what mattered to her. Jason noticed her innocent smile and couldn't help ribbing her a little.

"If it's so European, why aren't you doing it?" Jason pointed at Kat's hands all over her huge slice.

"I'm not European." Kat took a huge, messy bite and sighed "yum" as she wiped her mouth. More laughter ensued.

Tommy was particularly happy that everyone was getting along so well. The timing might not have been how he had planned, but he had learned to expect the unexpected when it came to teenagers. With that in mind, he realized it was in his best interest to know what he had missed while he was out getting the pizza. He asked in his most nonchalant voice, "So what you guys talk about while I was gone?"

"These two guys, Bull and Skull."

"That's a fun topic. Did you tell them about Devon and Cassidy?"

"A little. He also mentioned the juice bar and this chick Emily..." Conner started rambling.

The mention of Emily was random and Tommy didn't know what to make of it. The DinoThunder rangers didn't look like they had uncovered any juicy secret, so he wasn't too worried. Tommy looked over to Kat who didn't show any level of concern. Still it had Tommy on edge, and then Kira cut in with her own question.

"So Kat, who did you date when you were a ranger?"

"Tommy, of course," Kat said as if it were common knowledge. Her attention on her daughter, she didn't notice how the DinoThunder rangers mouths dropped open, and Conner even spit out a little cheese on his shirt. Jason smiled. That was the woman he married, so graceful and well-intentioned and sometimes so clueless. It wasn't that Kat couldn't read people; she was very empathetic when she was paying attention. It was just that Kat could forget that people weren't like her. Her dark side was practically nonexistent (unless she was under some sort of magic spell), and so other people's ulterior motives often caught her by surprise. She had trained herself to watch out for hidden insecurities and buried secrets, to pick up on the subtle hints that people were being less than forthcoming, but this was hardly her first instinct. Kat might have revealed a bit of information that Tommy Oliver wished kept secret, but no one could blame her for it, not even Tommy.

Tommy had actually anticipated Kat's words as soon as Kira posed the question. He knew that Kat would be straightforward and to the point, and any embarrassing details mentioned would be sweet and not too emotionally revealing. Still his defenses were up. He thought about possible tacks to take, possible ways he could mitigate the damage, but nothing seemed to make any sense. In fact, all he could parse were Kat's words, "Tommy, of course." The three words repeated in his head over and over in a strange voice, a chipmunk version of Kat's voice: _Tommy, of course. Tommy, of course. Tommy, of course._ He had to laugh at the sound and his current predicament- that the details of his past were suddenly out of this control.

"So let me get this straight. You two dated? You dated a ranger?" Conner finally said. He had been scared to speak until he saw Tommy smile. At least this wasn't an old wound or anything.

"At the end of high school. It was fun," Tommy said simply.

"Wow," Ethan said. "I guess things ended on good terms."

"Ethan, of course they ended on good terms. Kat and Jason wouldn't be here otherwise," Kira could not believe her teammates. "Listen, I didn't mean to pry. I just was interested in you guys' life when you were our ages."

"It's ok, Kira. It was an innocent question," Tommy was more relaxed with this subject than he thought he would be. "Yes, we ended on good terms. Kat and I have always been friends. We have never not been friends."

Kat met his gaze and smiled, "Honestly Tommy, you were the best high-school boyfriend. Our little romance was perfect." It was the first time she had ever said that. She had known she was a rebound at the time, but the relationship had made her happy. She never doubted that Tommy had genuine affection for her. Though he had never have gotten over Kim, that was a different story. Just because life was complicated didn't mean that its complications tarnished the beautiful moments. Their sweet high-school romance was one such unadulterated moment, and it had naturally evolved into friendship when she left for London. Tommy could see from her smile that she had no regrets, and he felt even more assured. Kat's smile alone made this conversation worth it, no matter what awkwardness was to come.

"If it was so perfect, why did you break up?" Conner again asked the right question. Jason shook his head at the boy's poor impulse control, but he too was curious as to how his wife and best friend would answer this.

"Relationships run their courses. We weren't soulmates, we were kids. And then our lives went in separate directions," Kat explained.

"Yeah, she went to London, I was racing here. It was a no-brainer. But we remained friends of course. Hey, I was best man at their wedding."

"I guess long-distance relationships are never a good idea," Ethan said. This was a loaded comment, and again the young ranger was too naive to know it. Kira and Tommy broke eye contact with the group, and Hayley was afraid to look at either of them. The mood did not have a chance to sour however, because if anyone was more clueless than Ethan, it was Conner. When a subject needed to be addressed, he was the one to do it without hesitation.

"Wait a minute, Dr. O. What do you mean by 'racing'?"

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While Jason put Mickey to bed, Kat joined Hayley in the kitchen to make the coffee and tea for dessert. Hayley might not technically be the host, but she was certainly the expert on hot beverages, and as a young mom and housewife, Kat also knew how to do things efficiently. Kat also saw this as opportunity to talk to Hayley alone again. She had been working up the courage to ask for a favor.

"Hayley, I just wanted to let you were really helpful with Mickey tonight."

"Thanks Kat. She's a really good kid. And a trooper. I'm surprised she lasted this long."

"I know. I'm probably going to go off to bed soon myself. We were hoping to have some grown-up conversation with Tommy when she slept tonight, but I'm too exhausted for that. Jason probably is too."

"There's still the rest of the weekend. I'll be in and out- you're using my car after all. And the kids won't be here all the time. At least I hope not," Hayley turned towards the living room and shook her head at Ethan. She couldn't tell what he was saying, but she was sure it didn't fall under the category of "grown-up conversation."

"Yeah, that's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I wanted to ask you a favor. I was hoping you'd distract Mickey for a few hours tomorrow, maybe even take her out somewhere." Kat's voice was serious and pleading, and Hayley didn't know where this was coming from.

"Kat, what's wrong? Did something happen with you and Jason?" Jason and Kat seemed to be on great terms, but Hayley knew how looks could be deceiving. She was suddenly very scared that there was something wrong in their lives.

"No, no nothing like that. We're fine. Great even, except for Jason's dad of course, and even he's not that bad right now. No, Jason and I need to talk to Tommy about something serious and Mickey can't be around."

"Why? What is it?"

Kat looked down and sighed, not wanting to say it aloud. Still she touched Hayley's hand and said softly, "It's about Kim."


	9. The Bad News

**Ok, by a few days, I meant I'd post in a week. Anyway, this is the chapter that was supposed to come three chapters ago. I mentioned earlier that I might need to expand the timeline a bit. Here I have the original team graduating high school in 1994. It's 2004, so they're all around 28 years old.**

Eastward jet lag was an illogical bitch. Just when you would expect to sleep late into the morning, you find yourself up at 3 am. Kat spent most of the next four hours staring at the ceiling while her husband lightly snored next to her. She periodically got up to check on her daughter across the hall, but there was no sense of urgency. Mickey was a sound sleeper and would certainly seek out her parents when she woke up in unfamiliar surroundings. Also Kat was content to stare at the ceiling and think; she was awake but not restless. Her mind was occupied with thoughts of the move back to Angel Grove and the events leading up to it.

Kat and Jason had moved in Australia right after their wedding. It had actually been Jason's idea. He had gone to college at Angel Grove University, and he was itching to see the world beyond his native town, an itch he first gotten at the Peace Conference back in high school. They chose Australia because it was Kat's childhood home and they could get jobs more easily there. Also Kat's native Brisbane had an advantage that Switzerland did not: a climate that could rival sunny California.

At first, they lived in the city proper, working office jobs that paid well. They lived the care-free life of a couple in their early twenties, going out a lot and even saving a little money for later. 'Later' came sooner than expected. Kat's pregnancy was unplanned, but once they found out that Mickey was coming, they knew what to do. They found a house in a nice, quiet suburb, a place where they could plant roots. At first, Jason wanted to open up his own dojo, but this dream would have to wait. There were many obstacles to a non-Australian citizen, and Jason had trouble securing a loan. Luckily, a job opened up at the local gym and it was the perfect fit for Jason. He wasn't the boss, but as management, he got to be involved in the decision-making and was an integral part of the gym. Every time Kat heard people call Mickey "Jason Scott's daughter," she beamed with pride. They had found their niche.

Then Jason received a phone call. Kat sighed audibly as she remembered the call. That fateful call.

On the phone, Tommy put it simply: A mission to the moon, red rangers only, and Jason had to make an immediate decision. Kat could see the apprehension on her husband's face, she could still hear his voice crack as he asked for her permission. He let her know that their family was his first priority, that he wouldn't give it a second thought if she said no. Of course, Kat didn't say no. It hadn't even occurred to her. She was flattered that Jason had asked her permission and understood his fear. But Jason was needed, and there were things far more important than their little family. Kat told him not to worry about the threat of death; she knew in her heart that Jason would return unscathed. That's when Jason's entire demeanor changed.

His fear dissipated, his face lit up with excitement. He hadn't been afraid of the mission; he had been afraid she wouldn't let him go. Kat felt the wind knocked out of her, as if she had literally been punched in the stomach. She stared at him, as he excitedly rushed through his last-minute packing, as he told her he loved her with renewed passion and the utmost sincerity. Here they were in their small bedroom, a couple in complete agreement about the immediate course of action, a couple completely out of sync for the first time in their marriage.

Kat was now forced to reexamine the life she had thought so perfect. The problem was not their relationship. Jason and she loved each other, enjoyed each other's company, valued family above everything else. They had the same morals, the same interests, the same friends. Kat never doubted, not even at that critical moment, that they were meant to have a life together. They just hadn't figured out what that life would entail. Up to the moon mission, Kat had only lived her half of the story. She had ignored Jason's perspective and the simple truth that his life was incomplete. It certainly hadn't been obvious. Jason appeared happy to everyone- to Kat, to their friends back home, even to himself. But once she looked deeper, Kat could see frustration simmering under the surface. Jason craved something more than this middle-class life, something more active.

Active. That word played over in Kat's mind as she lay awake in Tommy's guest room. It was a word mothers used to describe their preschool boys, the boys who didn't know their own strength, who never sat still, who couldn't stick to one activity and were endlessly tiring out the adults around them. Other mothers would observe and remark, "That is an active boy." Kat had fallen in love with a patient and considerate man, one who was protective of her and committed to his family, yet ultimately, she had fallen in love with an active man. Jason himself didn't know it, but he felt caged, like a five-year-old stuck behind a desk, waiting for recess, for when he could let loose on the playground.

Then the second fateful call came, the one where they found out that Jason's dad had cancer. Kat would never admit it out loud, but she had been relieved. This was Jason's chance to escape. Angel Grove might be familiar territory, but now he had a new mission, one that was as important as being a power ranger. He would helping his family, fighting cancer, teaching his child about what was really important in life. He would be active.

Still, in the weeks before the move, Kat was apprehensive. She had two distinct fears. The first was familiar. She worried that Jason would grow bored of Angel Grove and his wanderlust would send him looking for a new adventure somewhere else. Kat was always willing to go along for the ride, but now they had Mickey to worry about. They couldn't just uproot her every few years because they wanted to try something new. How would they reconcile being heroes with being parents?

The second fear was far more serious and far more immediate, yet Kat couldn't really put it into words. The fear did have a name: Family. Just that one word. It was ridiculous of course. They were close to her parents and to Jason's extended family. They visited twice a year for goodness sake. If anything, the presence of family would make the transition easier for everyone, especially for Mickey. Nevertheless, Kat couldn't could shake this feeling. In the pit of her stomach, she suspected that everything could go wrong once she started living near family.

The worst part was that she hadn't shared these fears with anyone. Usually she was open with her husband. Jason might not be the best communicator, but he was always willing to talk when Kat brought something up. And Kat would have mentioned it too, if something more disturbing and more uncertain hadn't arisen and eclipsed their personal problems: Two weeks ago, they got word about Kim. The recent speculations had come as a total surprise and all they could worry about was whether it was true, whether they would ever know the truth.

Kat had to push thoughts of Kim out of her mind. The more she got worked up about it, the harder it would be to tell Tommy, and they had to tell Tommy today.

At 7 o'clock on the dot, Mickey started calling "Mom" from her room, and Kat jumped up and met her in the hall. Kat squeezed her daughter tightly, so happy to see that Mickey wasn't upset by being in a strange place and thankful that she could now abandon her early morning ruminations. She went into mother-mode. It was pancakes for breakfast, which was a wise decision, because when Jason made it to the kitchen a short time later, his stomach was growling loudly. After a full breakfast, the three occupied themselves with newspapers and tv until Hayley came in with fresh coffee and bagels at 9 am. Tommy didn't drag himself up the stairs from his bedroom until a full half hour later.

Tommy barely grunted hello when he entered the kitchen. He had been up half the night with thoughts of the past and fears for the future. Finally he passed out at 5 AM when exhaustion shut down his mind. He hadn't been this way in years, but then again he hadn't seen old friends in years. Once he'd eaten, he was in a slightly better mood, complimenting Kat on her pancakes, Hayley on her coffee, and Micky on being so cute. Still his exhaustion was evident and it gave Kat an idea.

She told Tommy that they wanted to stay in a little while longer, and that he should take a late-morning run to refresh. Jason caught onto his wife's logic and also pressured Tommy into leaving. Tommy initially resisted, he didn't feel much like exercising and besides, he couldn't leave his out-of-town guests. However, he was no match for the Scotts' powers of persuasion. He was soon out the door, and Jason and Kat sprung into action. In moments, they packed Mickey up and sent her on her way with Hayley. Kat's ingenuity had bought them an hour to plan their strategy for "the talk."

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Operation Keep Mickey Occupied started out in the park, the first activity on Hayley's list. The two were enjoying the sunshine, but Mickey soon tired of the jungle gym and swings. Jet lag was affecting her more than she let on and that created a problem for Hayley. Most of her preplanned activities were high-energy: the mall, the arcade at her cafe, a local children's museum. There was also a new Disney movie but being in a dark theater in the afternoon wouldn't do Mickey much good. The girl might even sleep through the film. The last item on the list was a last resort: the local library. Hayley balked. This was her least favorite institution of learning. It was cramped and stuffy and all the books were out of order. The librarians meant well, but you could tell they were disorganized and understaffed. Truthfully speaking, it was the Dewey Decimal system that got on Hayley's nerves the most; it was so illogical and outdated. Hayley didn't think she could take it today, an honest decision that unfortunately left her at a loss for what to do. Mickey kicked slowly on the swings. The girl was so sweet and well-behaved, she deserved entertainment. Sighing, Hayley decided to stop by the flower shop and seek out the advice of some friends. She reached out her hand to Mickey and told her that they were going to see her work.

Alberts' Florists and Nursery was not your average neighborhood flower shop, even though it seemed quaint and cozy when you first walked in. The shop itself was a deceptive front- the greenhouse that lay behind surpassed Home Depot and other megastores in size and variety. There was a catacomb of back rooms and an extensive collection of rare and beautiful plants. The layout definitely helped create an atmosphere of mystery and grandeur. The front of the store was the florist's, the nursery was in the back, but inbetween were the stock room which were closed to the public. Customers had to go down a windowless, poorly lit corridor to see the plants. This long tunnel seemed particularly dark on gloomy days but it was well worth it, because when you exited, you entered into the light.

The plants were amazing, the colors, the smells. It could be overwhelming if it weren't so well arranged. The plants were in well-marked aisles, organized by type and size, with the most popular coming first. Instead of keeping the trees and large bushes in the back, they were interspersed throughout, giving the place the feel of the wild. The more exotic plants came at the end, some of which were organized by ecosystem. Everything was for sale, even the plants in the more elaborate displays. Afficionados would come from neighboring towns and fork over big bucks for some of the rarer species. With this kind of selection, it was no wonder that the store did well.

At the very back of the greenhouse, there was a small stone wall and a little alcove with a bay window. Someone had the idea to put a table and some chairs there one day, and soon this nook became the break room. They moved in a fridge and a microwave and a couple of plush chairs, the staff would make themselves comfortable and regular customers would visit for a while. When Mrs. Abernathy came, which was often, she would sometimes bring her infamous dog Stella, a welcome companion until she would start to eat the plants. It seemed like someone was always back there, at all hours of the day. The full time staff, like Raul and Kim, stayed past closing time, and some part-timers found excuses to come in when they were off the clock. Paul the accountant was there at least once a week, and he didn't even work in the building. Hayley couldn't explain the attraction to outsiders. You just had to see the place for yourself.

When Hayley brought Mickey into the store, the girl's face immediately lit up. She let go of Hayley's hand and ran around to each case. It was great to see Mickey so excited, that is until Hayley made eye contact with the woman behind the counter. Mrs. Davies- or was it Davids?- only worked weekends. She was a middle-aged spinster or widow who clearly took her job too seriously. Mickey was pressing her nose against the glass, and it was only a matter of time before the old woman snapped at her. Hayley quickly rushed Mickey to the back, hoping to find more welcoming faces.

Once in the greenhouse, Hayley knew she had found the perfect diversion. Later Mickey would tell her mom that she visited Willy Wonka's factory, but at the time she couldn't speak at all. She just stared as Hayley took her hand and led her to the back of the store. There would be time for exploring later. Now was the time to take a break and bring in some child-care reinforcements.

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"So, he's really dying, huh?" Tommy said to the two serious faces that sat across from him.

"What?" Jason and Kat were entirely confused. Then Kat hit herself on the head, finally getting it. She turned to Jason, laughing, "He's talking about your dad, honey."

"Oh, right. My dad," Jason was taking a while to put two and two together

"No, no. That's not it. Jason's dad is not bad off at all," Kat sighed. "I mean he's got cancer... but they caught it... he's going to be fine. I think. I hope... Damn it, Tommy! Now you threw me off my game." She slapped table and looked at her husband, who of course burst out laughing. This was not a good way to start "the talk."

Tommy was laughing too, but mostly in confusion. _What game?_ he wondered to himself.

Jason went, "I can take it from here. Tommy, two weeks ago..."

"No, you're going about it all wrong. This isn't how we planned it," Kat interrupted and took the reins. "Tommy, when we decided to move back to America, we wanted to tell everyone that we were coming back. That's when Jason and I realized how outdated our contact information was. I mean we keep in touch with Trini-"

"More like she keeps in touch with us," Jason smiled.

"-and Billy through Trini. We get the occasional Christmas card from him, when he remembers it's Christmas.We see Tanya and Adam every time we go home. But we haven't talked to anyone else in over a year."

"What about me? Don't forget about me?"

"Of course, you. We talk to you most of the lot. Anyway, we figured we'd better check in with everyone, see what they've been up to. I mean it might be a little awkward, but it's not like we've had a falling out with anyone or something like that."

"First we called Aisha. We got her number from Tanya and Adam," Jason cut in. "She's started med school in Atlanta."

"I think I'd known that but I'd forgotten. Anyway, now we've got all her information," Kat admitted. "We found out that Zack's in New York working with a professional dance troupe, and he told us that they'll probably go on tour later this year, so we all have to go see that."

"You got his number from Trini, of course."

"Of course," Jason nodded, grinning.

"What about Rocky?"

"We've had a devil of a time tracking him down," Kat laughed. "Aisha had got one address in LA, where he no longer lives. Adam and Tanya gave us an old cell phone number that doesn't work anymore. Even his parents didn't know where he'd be that particular month- just somewhere in California. Or New Mexico."

"What's he doing that no one knows where he is?"

"Been working as a stunt man. He goes out on location a lot and then hops from one friend's apartment to the next when he's in LA. He's got a new cell phone, but apparently he's in a really remote location. If there's an emergency, you can contact the studio, but this wasn't an emergency..."

"So you haven't talked him?"

"No, not yet. But he should be home for Christmas," Jason nodded.

"Or New Year," Kat added, nodding.

Tommy nodded.

"No one's heard from Kim in over five years," Kat said as matter-of-factly as she would if she were referring to one of the others.

Tommy was taken aback. He'd thought there'd be a little more stalling on their part before they got to Kim. Kat didn't always cut to the chase like that, but she also knew that Jason would avoid the subject as long as possible. Forever even. Kim was an awkward subject for anyone in their group but it was especially hard for Jason and Tommy. If Kat was going to be the one to bring it up, then she was going to rip the band-aid off fast.

"What? You haven't spoken to Kim in five years?" Tommy didn't know what he'd been expecting but it certainly wasn't this.

Jason looked especially guilty, "No. I mean after what happened with the wedding . . . We kind of assumed she wanted to keep her distance. And Trini would be in touch of course, except . . ."

"Except she wasn't in touch. She assumed we were or Billy or Aisha. And they assumed the same, that someone was talking to her, and we could get in touch with her when we wanted to."

"It took five years," Jason thought aloud. He couldn't believe Kim had been out of his life for that long- longer in fact- but it was the truth.

"But they know where she is. I mean Trini must know."

Jason and Kat exchanged a glance, "No. She didn't even have a clue where to begin."

Everyone was silent for a few moments. Jason and Kat had more to say but even Kat was hesitant to start the next part. It was actually Tommy who broke the silence.

"I don't know what to say. I mean I haven't ..." Tommy interrupted himself and looked away. "We should probably track her down."

"Tommy," Kat cringed at what she was about to say. "We think she's dead."

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When Jason and Kat were planning their wedding six years earlier, they had wanted Kim to be in the wedding party. Besides Tommy, she was their best mutual friend. Jason had his friends from his early ranger days, and Kat was closer to the later team, but Kim and Tommy were the people they the felt the most comfortable around. If Kat had had her way, Kim would have been the runner-up bridesmaid, the one right behind Tanya, the matron-of-honor.

The problem was that they hadn't seen Kim in person in years. After her freshman year at UCLA, Kim had abruptly transferred to a college in Paris and hadn't returned to the States since. No one really knew why she moved. There was a rumor circulating in the group that her mother was sick, but Kim never said anything to confirm or deny this, and it was understood that it was best not to ask, Kim would open up in her own time. Even though Kat and Kim were both in Europe at the same time- Kat in London, Kim in Paris - they only saw each other once, about halfway through their course.

Kim had come to London on a brief holiday and ended up spending all her time with Kat. Kat soon learned how much her friend had changed since high school. Gone was the valley girl. The new Kim was a cosmopolitan, a cosmopolitan with street smarts, fluent in French and ready to conquer the city. She could find her way around London after a day, even though she had never been there before. She enjoyed trips to the museum as much as trips to the mall; she liked both high-end department stores and dive bars. No matter where they went, Kim seemed to fit in. She seemed to be comfortable with anyone and everyone: tourists, Londoners, people from all walks of life. And she could talk to anyone and everyone as long as the conversation was short. For as eager as Kim was to explore new places, she was not eager to meet new people. Her friendliness was guarded and insincere. Some of the things she said were outright lies. A stranger would never pick up on her phoniness, but it would be obvious to any of her close friends. It greatly disturbed Kat.

When the two girls were alone together, the facade disappeared and Kim would return her bubbly self. On one hand, it was like she hadn't changed at all. She listened intently to Kat's stories and was fully supportive of her decision not to become a professional dancer. Kim loved to discuss her future dreams. She went back and forth between the idea of working in international relations and becoming an event planner, which made Kat laugh. Kim' revealed that her love live was nonexistent but it didn't seem to bother her and her self-deprecating jokes were actually funny. Kim would discuss her studies, her opinions, her interests in detail and neglect all other aspects of her life. It used to be that the subject that was taboo was Tommy. Now whenever Kat would ask a simple question about her personal life, like why she had moved to France in the first place, Kim would give a rehearsed answer and then change the subject. After much thought, Kat decided not to pry. Maybe Kim wanted to say more but wasn't ready to bare her soul. Maybe it was a question of time. How was Kat to know that would be the last time they saw each other? Kim returned her isolated world, and their paths never crossed again, save for the occasional letter and yearly phone call.

For Jason, the separation was much longer and much more stark. He kept on inviting Kim to visit him; she kept refusing politely. Eventually she would just ignore his invitations and then he stopped making them. She'd return home when she was ready, he told himself. In the meantime, he just had to be happy with the communication he got. It wasn't until he picked up the phone to invite her to the wedding, that Jason realized he hadn't seen her since Muranthius.

_Jason:_ So Kat and I are finally doing it. We're going to tie the knot.

_Kim:_ Omigosh, Jason! I'm so excited. You two are like the perfect couple. So tell me, when's it going to be?

_Jason: _We're thinking May 30th.

_Kim: _Better book it soon. That's prime wedding season. But I know exactly what I'm going to wear.

_Jason:_ Um...That's more Kat's decision, don't you think?

_Kim:_ Jase, you know I'm always open to suggestion, but. I think Kat'll have enough to worry about with planning the wedding and all.

_Jason:_ No, you don't get it. Kat wants you to be her bridesmaid.

_Kim:_ Omigosh! Really? Duh. I'm such an idiot. Yes, yes, yes!

_Jason:_ Calm down Kim, it's not you who's getting married!

After this conversation, both Kat and Jason were happy that Kim would soon be back in their lives. A month later Kat got an early morning phone call.

_Kat:_ Kim? Are you ok? You sound upset.

_Kim:_ Kat, I don't think I can make it to the bridal shower. In fact, I don't think I should be in the wedding party at all.

_Kat:_ Kim, what are you talking about? Have you been crying?

_Kim:_ Yeah, a little. I know it's your special day, and I really want to be a part of it. I'm so happy for you and Jason. Don't you ever doubt that. It's just things with my family are pretty intense right now. It's going to be a push just to come to the States for the wedding. I can only afford to leave home once and only for a few days...

_Kat:_ What's wrong? It sounds pretty serious. Is it your mum?

_Kim:_ No. Sort of. I can't really go into right now but I promise I'll explain everything at the wedding.

_Kat: _Ok. I can understand that. I don't have to tell you that we're always here for you, Jason and me. Whenever you need it us. One thing though, Kim-

_Kim: _Yeah?

_Kat: _You better be at my wedding Kim. I'll come to France and drag you across the ocean myself if I have to.

_Kim (laughing and hiccuping a little):_ I don't doubt it. I'll be there.

But she wasn't. A month before the wedding, Kat and Jason received a beautiful hand-crafted ceramic clock from Kim. The card attached said:

_To My Dearest Jason and Kat, True Soulmates and even Truer Friends,_

_My mother is in a bad way here. We have to move to the French countryside so she can get some fresh air and hopefully recover. I can't go into details about her illness because I don't understand it all myself. But I have to be with her during her time of need._

_I'm sorry I can't make it to your wedding. This is my biggest regret of the last four years, perhaps of all my adult life. I will be there in spirit. I'm sure we will meet up some time in the near future. I wish you both all the happiness in the world for now and for the rest of your lives. I hope to see you soon._

_Love your little sis (I'm now your little sis too, Kat),  
_

_Kim  
_

----------------------------------------------------

Tommy smirked, "Kat, aren't you being a tad melodramatic? I mean just because you haven't been able to track Kim down doesn't mean she's dead."

Kat took a deep breath. "When we'd found out no one had been in touch with her, we panicked a little-"

"I panicked a lot," Jason said.

"Jason started calling all the numbers he ever had for her, which trust me was a lot. Kim's mum wasn't at any of her old numbers. Kim's dad had also moved. Kim's uncle and his family no longer live in Angel Grove."

"I managed to track them down in Sacramento," Jason explained. "It turns out that they had a major fight with Kim's mom many years ago and haven't heard from anyone since. Their information was even more outdated than mine."

"Guys," Tommy rolled his eyes."They're probably somewhere in France. We just have to look for Kim's stepdad in France."

"His name is Henri Martin, remember?"

Tommy nodded.

"Everyone else in France is also named Henri Martin. It's the same problem with her dad and brother in America. James Hart, Michael Hart. We can't find these people with the resources we have."

"I see the problem," Tommy admitted."You just have to concentrate on Kim and her mother. Or get Billy involved. Where is he now? He works for NASADA, right?"

"Houston half the time, all over the universe the other half. We did use Billy, but first we had to tell him where to look. So we had Trini track Kim's passport."

"Ok." Then Tommy did a double take. "Wait. Can you even do that? I mean, they can do that? I thought Trini works at the UN. People at the UN can just look up people's passports?"

"She called in some favors. She has contacts in Home Land Security."

"I understand what you're saying, and you are starting to scare me. At the same time, you don't sound sure. Just tell me what you know," Tommy said carefully.

"We're trying to. Stop asking so many questions," Jason tried to lighten the mood, but it wasn't working. "Kim flew into Las Vegas on October 24, 1999. She hadn't been back to America since she moved to Paris, and I don't remember her ever saying anything about Las Vegas. We have no idea why she went there or who she went to see. Maybe someone from gymnastics. No idea. She flew United from Paris to DC and DC to Las Vegas. She definitely went through passport control and customs in Las Vegas. After that, it's a mystery. There's no other record of Kim Hart in the city or anywhere else, as far as we know at least."

"Isn't this like what happened with Rocky? You couldn't locate Rocky for a while. You still haven't talked to him. He could be dead for all you know."

"People always had a vague idea where he was. His parents..." Jason stopped himself from arguing. "It's not that we can't locate Kim. It's that this happened ten days after she went to Las Vegas." Jason took out a folder from his briefcase and passed it to Tommy. It was the copy of a police report dated November 3, 1999. A Jane Doe was found dead in the Nevada desert near Las Vegas.

Tommy opened it and realized immediately what it was. He glanced at the picture, a sharp, black and white photocopy of the original that was probably made on a high-end color copier. The woman in the picture had died from some kind of suffocation so there was no blood or injuries marring the image. Even from that quick glance, he could see the resemblance to Kim.

"Where did you get this?" His question seemed a bit accusatory.

"Billy," Kat said meekly. "He called in his friends in law enforcement, just to see if there was any record of Kim in the city for that Autumn, Autumn 1999. He couldn't find any credit card bills or hotel registrations. Kim wasn't on flights out of Las Vegas in the next two years. He checked the hospital records and crime reports. I'm not sure if his research was legal but he did it."

"For some reason, this case stuck out. They were never able to identify the woman, but they didn't think she was a local because of her style of dress. The clothes were from expensive European designers. I think it says that in the report," Jason continued.

Tommy nodded, even though he hadn't read that particular detail yet.

"Did you ever get in contact with her mom?"

"No, we haven't found her. According to Trini, she hasn't left France since 1995. I think that's when she picked up Kim. On her passport, she was still Lois Hart and still an American citizen. As far as we can tell, she never became Lois Martin and she never became a French citizen." Kat looked like she was about to cry. She swallowed. She was not going to let it out until Tommy was ready, until he faced his emotions. "Tommy, I really think it's her. I didn't want to believe it either, but it looks exactly like her."

Kat turned away from Tommy and looked to her husband for support. He was studying Tommy, preparing for the explosion that was to come. There was silence as Tommy scoured the report with an obsessive determination, probably going over every detail. He was in hunter mode, and nothing could interrupt him until his search was over. Tommy was looking for something, anything to contradict the incontrovertible evidence before him, and Jason and Kat knew he wouldn't find it.

"It's not her," he finally said. Tommy faced his guests with a determined and defensive stare. He knew that they would try to convince him otherwise.

"Billy says it's most likely her," Jason said simply. This was part of the game plan. He had wanted Tommy to live with his denial for a few days, but Kat wouldn't have it. It had to be worked out today, she said. Or it would just eat at him for the rest of the weekend. Jason knew that it would eat at him either way, but he agreed that there was no reason to postpone the grieving process.

"No, it's not her. Kim has a red birthmark just above her collar bone on her left side. There's no birthmark in this picture."

"Tommy, it's just a xerox," Kat whispered.

"It's an excellent xerox. Billy is a scientist. As a scientist, he went from the evidence. If this picture wasn't clear, he would never have suggested that it was Kim." Tommy had a point. No one could disagree with this statement but Tommy was still talking about a birthmark. Kat and Jason never expected to be arguing about a birthmark.

"Maybe you are remembering wrong," Kat suggested.

"No, I'm remember correctly. And her scar," Tommy turned his hard eyes to Jason now. "Jason, the scar that she got under her chin, when she fell off the balance beam when she was twelve. There's no scar."

Jason nodded and took the picture from Tommy to take another glance, mostly to appease his friend. "Maybe you just can't see it from that angle."

"No, you can. You can see it from that angle. And her hair. The hairline is all wrong."

The hairline broke the camel's back. "Tommy, for god's sake, you haven't seen this woman in almost ten years!" Jason shouted. Kat started to cry then gasped and sucked it in. The tension was palpable, but Tommy's expression didn't change. He wasn't going to explode.

Jason took a deep breath and continued in a subdued voice, "Tommy, we all want to think it's not her, but..."

"No birthmark, no scar, the wrong hair, no mole..." Tommy was not budging, much to the exasperation of his companions.

"What mole?!" Jason could not control himself. Kat placed her hand on his in an effort to calm him down. Tommy had to face his emotions and it wouldn't happen if they argued with him. "Tommy, if you are so sure that it's not Kim, then why aren't you relieved? Why aren't you dancing around the room? You seem upset, like deep down you think she is dead."

"No. She's not dead," Tommy turned away. "Bu there aren't any answers. We have no answers."

With his back still to them, he started leaving the room, "Excuse me, I have to go. I have to go gather my thoughts."

Moments later he was out the back door on his second run of the day. Jason and Kat could only stare at the doorway in amazement. They didn't know if this had gone worse than they'd thought or better than they'd thought. It was nothing like what they'd thought.


End file.
